ITPC Process FAQs

What types of projects need to go through the priorities process?

• Any project that involves resources from a University Administration unit, or campus based unit that plans to offer an administrative system for the entire campus.
• Any project that will interface with an Enterprise system.
• Any project that is administrative in nature, and wishes to utilize funding from the central pool of administrative IT dollars allocated by AAMT.

How are cost estimates developed?

Cost estimates are based on a time and materials model. First, available discretionary resources are assessed, and if available, factored into the project proposal. Then, additional resources such as contract staff are added. Rates for contract staff will vary, depending on the role. Some common rates include:
Developers - $90/hr
SunGard/SCT application consultants or developers - $220/hr
 

What happens if requirements need to be added after a project has been approved?

If requirements need to be added after the project has started, the project cost will go up. If the project costs exceed 110% of the original estimate, the project must go back to the ITPC. The project may be cancelled if significant increases in the project cost impact the business case.

What happens if a project doesn't meet its target implementation date?

If the project duration increases more than 125%, it must go back to the ITPC. The project may be cancelled if significant delays impact the business case.

Will all projects that are approved begin immediately?

No. The availability of internal resources, such as analysts, subject matter experts and developers varies over time. To guarantee their availability would require staffing at a very high, inefficient level. Projects will be started based on a combination of factors including their submission dates, value, functional priority and availability of resources.

What is the role of the Enterprise Architecture Committee (EAC)?

The EAC's purpose is to review all significant projects (all Level 2 proposals and some Level 1proposals) to ensure compliance with existing technology standards, or to work with the appropriate staff to extend those standards in a manner that fits with our strategic technology direction.

What is the role of the University Technology Management Team (UTMT)?

The UTMT coordinates University-wide technical initiatives, such as cross-campus network improvements. Projects that have aspects of this nature are reviewed and/or sponsored by UTMT.

What is the role of the UTMT Common Architectural Vision (UTMT CAV) subcommittee?

The UTMT CAV coordinates University-wide technical architecture initiatives. Some of these architectural initiatives result in ITPC projects that are sponsored or co-sponsored by the UTMT CAV; an example is Institution Identity Server enhancements.

Do AITS or other UA technology organizations need to bring technology infrastructure upgrades to ITPC?

Yes. These projects need to be documented with a proposal so that impacts to functional units can be assessed.

For non-technical people, how are we to answer questions regarding resource requirements and project timeline on the project proposal templates? We most likely would not know what hardware/software/staff hours would be needed nor how many hours would be required to complete a project.

In all cases, you should document the resources that you plan to utilize from your functional area, or that you plan to purchase (e.g., contractors). If you don't have a sense of what technical resources are required, please request that an estimate of technical effort be provided by AITS. You can follow a similar approach for the timeline - provide what you know, and ask for assistance from AITS for those areas that you aren't in a position to estimate.

Is every sponsor group required to fund their own project or is there a University/Campus budget to fund these projects? If there is a University/Campus budget, how much of a budget has been established in order that we may submit realistic proposals?

There is a central pool of funds provided by the Academic Affairs Management Team. For this fiscal year, the amount is $1.5 million and the amount will remain at that level on a recurring basis. The priority for central funds is highest for projects that affect all three campuses, followed by those that affect an entire campus and so on, down to smaller levels of impact at a single campus.

Is there a way to see the detail of the proposals that are on the project list on the ITPC website?

Project status and schedule are available under the Reporting section.

Are all projects assigned a quantitative rating?

All Level 2 projects are rated based on a list of business and risk criteria. Level 1 projects are only approved or disapproved.