WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

43.105.052 - Powers and duties of department.

Powers and duties of department.

The department shall:

     (1) Perform all duties and responsibilities the board delegates to the department, including but not limited to:

     (a) The review of agency information technology portfolios and related requests; and

     (b) Implementation of statewide and interagency policies, standards, and guidelines;

     (2) Make available information services to state agencies and local governments and public benefit nonprofit corporations on a full cost-recovery basis. For the purposes of this section "public benefit nonprofit corporation" means a public benefit nonprofit corporation as defined in RCW 24.03.005 that is receiving local, state, or federal funds either directly or through a public agency other than an Indian tribe or political subdivision of another state. These services may include, but are not limited to:

     (a) Telecommunications services for voice, data, and video;

     (b) Mainframe computing services;

     (c) Support for departmental and microcomputer evaluation, installation, and use;

     (d) Equipment acquisition assistance, including leasing, brokering, and establishing master contracts;

     (e) Facilities management services for information technology equipment, equipment repair, and maintenance service;

     (f) Negotiation with local cable companies and local governments to provide for connection to local cable services to allow for access to these public and educational channels in the state;

     (g) Office automation services;

     (h) System development services; and

     (i) Training.

     These services are for discretionary use by customers and customers may elect other alternatives for service if those alternatives are more cost-effective or provide better service. Agencies may be required to use the backbone network portions of the telecommunications services during an initial start-up period not to exceed three years;

     (3) Establish rates and fees for services provided by the department to assure that the services component of the department is self-supporting. A billing rate plan shall be developed for a two-year period to coincide with the budgeting process. The rate plan shall be subject to review at least annually by the office of financial management. The rate plan shall show the proposed rates by each cost center and will show the components of the rate structure as mutually determined by the department and the office of financial management. The same rate structure will apply to all user agencies of each cost center. The rate plan and any adjustments to rates shall be approved by the office of financial management. The services component shall not subsidize the operations of the strategic planning and policy component;

     (4) With the advice of the information services board and agencies, develop a state strategic information technology plan and performance reports as required under RCW 43.105.160;

     (5) Develop plans for the department's achievement of statewide goals and objectives set forth in the state strategic information technology plan required under RCW 43.105.160. These plans shall address such services as telecommunications, central and distributed computing, local area networks, office automation, and end user computing. The department shall seek the advice of the board in the development of these plans;

     (6) Under direction of the information services board and in collaboration with the department of personnel, and other agencies as may be appropriate, develop training plans and coordinate training programs that are responsive to the needs of agencies;

     (7) Identify opportunities for the effective use of information services and coordinate appropriate responses to those opportunities;

     (8) Assess agencies' projects, acquisitions, plans, information technology portfolios, or overall information processing performance as requested by the board, agencies, the director of financial management, or the legislature. Agencies may be required to reimburse the department for agency-requested reviews;

     (9) Develop planning, budgeting, and expenditure reporting requirements, in conjunction with the office of financial management, for agencies to follow;

     (10) Assist the office of financial management with budgetary and policy review of agency plans for information services;

     (11) Provide staff support from the strategic planning and policy component to the board for:

     (a) Meeting preparation, notices, and minutes;

     (b) Promulgation of policies, standards, and guidelines adopted by the board;

     (c) Supervision of studies and reports requested by the board;

     (d) Conducting reviews and assessments as directed by the board;

     (12) Be the lead agency in coordinating video telecommunications services for all state agencies and develop, pursuant to board policies, standards and common specifications for leased and purchased telecommunications equipment. The department shall not evaluate the merits of school curriculum, higher education course offerings, or other education and training programs proposed for transmission and/or reception using video telecommunications resources. Nothing in this section shall abrogate or abridge the legal responsibilities of licensees of telecommunications facilities as licensed by the federal communication commission on March 27, 1990; and

     (13) Perform all other matters and things necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.