75-7209. Information technology projects; required information technology project documentation; procedures; projects with significant business risk. (a) (1) Whenever an agency proposes an information technology project, such agency shall prepare and submit information technology project documentation to the chief information technology officer of the branch of state government of which the agency is a part. Such information technology project documentation shall:

(A) Include a financial plan showing the proposed source of funding and categorized expenditures for each phase of the project and cost estimates for any needs analyses or other investigations, consulting or other professional services, computer programs, data, equipment, buildings or major repairs or improvements to buildings and other items or services necessary for the project; and

(B) be consistent with:

(i) Information technology resource policies and procedures and project management methodologies for all state agencies;

(ii) an information technology architecture, including telecommunications systems, networks and equipment, that covers all state agencies;

(iii) standards for data management for all state agencies; and

(iv) a strategic information technology management plan for the state.

(2) Any information technology project with significant business risk, as determined pursuant to the information technology executive council's policies, shall be presented to the joint committee on information technology by such branch chief information technology officer.

(b) (1) Prior to the release of any request for proposal for an information technology project with significant business risk:

(A) Specifications for bids or proposals for such project shall be submitted to the chief information technology officer of the branch of state government of which the agency or agencies are a part. Information technology projects requiring chief information technology officer approval shall also require the chief information technology officer's written approval on specifications for bids or proposals; and

(B) (i) The chief information technology officer of the appropriate branch over the state agency or agencies that are involved in such project shall submit the project, the project plan, including the architecture, and the cost-benefit analysis to the joint committee on information technology to advise and consult on the project. Such chief information technology officer shall submit such information to each member of the joint committee and to the director of the legislative research department. Each such project plan summary shall include a notice specifying the date the summary was mailed or emailed. After receiving any such project plan summary, each member shall review the information and may submit questions, requests for additional information or request a presentation and review of the proposed project at a meeting of the joint committee. If two or more members of the joint committee contact the director of the legislative research department within seven business days of the date specified in the summary description and request that the joint committee schedule a meeting for such presentation and review, then the director of the legislative research department shall notify the chief information technology officer of the appropriate branch, the head of such agency and the chairperson of the joint committee that a meeting has been requested for such presentation and review on the next business day following the members' contact with the director of the legislative research department. Upon receiving such notification, the chairperson shall call a meeting of the joint committee as soon as practicable for the purpose of such presentation and review and shall furnish the chief information technology officer of the appropriate branch and the head of such agency with notice of the time, date and place of the meeting. Except as provided in subsection (b)(1)(B)(ii), the state agency shall not authorize or approve the release of any request for proposal or other bid event for an information technology project without having first advised and consulted with the joint committee at a meeting.

(ii) The state agency or agencies shall be deemed to have advised and consulted with the joint committee about such proposed release of any request for proposal or other bid event for an information technology project and may authorize or approve such proposed release of any request for proposal or other bid event for an information technology project if:

(a) Fewer than two members of the joint committee contact the director of the legislative research department within seven business days of the date the project plan summary was mailed and request a committee meeting for a presentation and review of any such proposed request for proposal or other bid event for an information technology project; or

(b) a committee meeting is requested by at least two members of the joint committee pursuant to this paragraph, but such meeting does not occur within two calendar weeks of the chairperson receiving the notification from the director of the legislative research department of a request for such meeting.

(2) (A) Agencies are prohibited from contracting with a vendor to implement the project if that vendor prepared or assisted in the preparation of the program statement, the project planning documents or any other project plans prepared prior to the project being approved by the chief information technology officer as required by this section.

(B) Information technology projects with an estimated cumulative cost of less than $5,000,000 are exempted from the provisions of subparagraph (A).

(C) The provisions of subparagraph (A) may be waived with prior written permission from the chief information technology officer.

(c) Annually at the time specified by the chief information technology officer of the branch of state government of which the agency is a part, each agency shall submit to such officer:

(1) A copy of a three-year strategic information technology plan that sets forth the agency's current and future information technology needs and utilization plans for the next three ensuing fiscal years, in such form and containing such additional information as prescribed by the chief information technology officer; and

(2) any deviations from the state information technology architecture adopted by the information technology executive council.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the information network of Kansas (INK).

History: L. 1998, ch. 182, § 9; L. 2018, ch. 89, § 39; L. 2023, ch. 75, § 9; July 1.