DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

State information technology policy is the responsibility of the Department of Information Technology. The Department develops, maintains, revises, and enforces information technology policies, procedures, and standards throughout State government. Moreover, the Department publishes and maintains the State Information Security Policy and its related security requirements. The Department, however, does not have authority over or responsibility for the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, the Maryland Port Administration, or the Maryland Stadium Authority (Chapter 150, Acts of 2018).

100 Community Place, Crownsville, Maryland, July 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

To the Governor and all units of State government, the Department provides technical assistance, advice, and recommendations concerning information technology. Further, the Department annually reviews the project plans of State agencies for making their services and information available to the public on-line.

The Statewide Information Technology Master Plan is developed and maintained by the Department. The Plan is the basis for the management and direction of information technology within the Executive Branch of State government. The Plan covers all aspects of information technology, including information management, data processing, and telecommunications (Code State Finance & Procurement Article, secs. 3A-304 through 3A-307).

Formerly located at 45 Calvert Street, Annapolis, the Department moved to 100 Community Place in Crownsville, Maryland, in July 2016.

OFFICE OF SECRETARY

With Senate advice and consent, the Secretary of Information Technology is appointed by the Governor. The Secretary serves on the Governor's Executive Council, and chairs the Information Technology Advisory Council, the Statewide Interoperability Radio Control Board, and the Council on Open Data. The Secretary also serves on the Board of Directors, Assistive Technology Loan Program; the Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board; the Maryland Cybersecurity Council; the Management Committee of the EMaryland Application Service Provider Consortium; the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee; the Health and Human Services Referral Board; the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee; the Commission to Advance Next Generation 9-1-1 Across Maryland; the Procurement Improvement Council; the Interdepartmental Advisory Committee on Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs; and the Student Data Privacy Council.

Formerly, the Department's work had been organized under Administration, and Operations. In April 2015, however, reorganization aligned Department units under the Chief of Staff, and the Chief Operating Officer. In November 2016, departmental units again were placed under Administration and Operations.

Reporting directly to the Secretary are offices for Communications, Counsel, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Rural Broadband, and the Major Information Technology Development Fund. The Department is assisted by the Information Technology Advisory Council, and the Statewide Interoperability Radio Control Board.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COUNCIL
Composed of chief information officers from all State agencies, the Information Technology Advisory Council meets monthly to plan Maryland's technology initiatives. The Council is chaired by the Secretary of Information Technology.

STATEWIDE INTEROPERABILITY RADIO CONTROL BOARD
In June 2014, the Statewide Interoperability Radio Control Board was established in the Department of Information Technology (Chapter 117, Acts of 2014).

The Board coordinates the operation and maintenance of the Statewide Public Safety Interoperability Radio System, also known as Maryland FiRST. The System is a 700 MHz radio system that connects Maryland's first responders on one secure radio system. For the System, the Board establishes standard operating procedures, quality of service standards, and maintenace guidelines. The Board also is responsible for coordinating, adding, and removing System users; and resolving conflicts among users.

To the Governor and General Assembly, the Board recommends funding levels and resources needed for the Statewide Interoperability Radio Control Board System. The Board also negotiates use agreements with the federal government, neighboring states, and the District of Columbia.

User working groups advise the Board.

The Board consists of eleven members. Five members are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor; six serve ex officio. The Secretary of Information Technology serves as Chair (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 1-501 through 1-503).

OFFICE OF RURAL BROADBAND
In June 2017, the Office of Rural Broadband was created by the Governor (Executive Order 01.01.2017.14).

The Office helps local Maryland jurisdictions improve their access to high-speed internet. Moreover, the Office identifies sources of funds for these services, including federal funds, and helps local governments apply for them.

In April 2018, demonstration projects on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland were completed and came under the oversight of the Office. In addition, the Office works to support and complement the assessments, evaluations, studies, and other work of the Task Force on Rural Internet, Broadband, Wireless, and Cellular Service, and act consistently with the goals and purposes of the Connecting Rural Maryland Act of 2017 (Chapters 620 & 621, Acts of 2017).

CHIEF OF STAFF

Today, Administration oversees Enterprise Program Management, Finance, and the Resource Share Program.

Enterprise Program Management helps State agencies acquire information technology services and products, including basic daily activities, such as internet and statewide intranet access, e-mail, computer server operations, and file sharing. It provides State agencies with Managed Security Services for maintaining network firewalls; and End User Services to support computer workstations; malware protection software, encryption, and host intrusion prevention system software. In addition, State agencies are provided with Infrastructure Services to host agency virtual services at a third-party service providers' hosting data center, and manage local agency area networks, including wireless network segments.

The Major Information Technology Project Development Fund is managed by Enterprise Program Management.

MAJOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FUND
The Major Information Technology Development Project Fund is managed by the Department. The purpose of the Fund is to support major information technology development projects for Executive Branch agencies and commissions (Code State Finance & Procurement Article, sec. 3A-309).

The Major Information Technology Development Project Fund supports major information technology development projects for which the estimated total cost of development equals or exceeds $1,000,000; or the project undertaken supports a critical business function associated with the public health, education, safety, or financial well-being of the citizens of Maryland; or the Secretary of Information Technology determines that the project requires the special attention and consideration given to a major information technology development project (Code State Finance & Procurement Article, secs. 3A-101, 3A-308, 3A-309).

OPERATIONS

Operations is responsible for Applications and Client Delivery Services; Information Technology Service Management; Infrastructure; Statewide Interoperable Communications; and Office of Security Management.

APPLICATIONS & CLIENT DELIVERY SERVICES

In June 1999, Applications and Client Delivery Services formed as Application Systems Management within the Department of Budget and Management, and transferred to the Department of Information Technology in July 2008. In April 2015, it reorganized as Applications Management, and later reformed under its present name.

Applications and Client Delivery Services designs, develops, implements, maintains, and operates a fully integrated statewide administrative systems for accounting, budgeting, financial management, personnel, and other administrative functions. It oversees Application Development; E-mail and Identity Management; Enterprise Resource Planning; Geospatial Services; and Web and eGov. Within Applications and Client Delivery Services, the Maryland Statewide Phone Directory also is maintained and updated.

ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING
In 1991, Enterprise Resource Planning organized initially as Financial Management Information Systems (FMIS), which created a new, high-technology, administrative management system for State government. In 1996, it was placed under the Office of Information Technology, and in July 2008 moved to the Department of Information Technology. Under Application Systems Management, it reformed as Support Technical and Financial Management Information Systems in February 2009 and as Enterprise Resource Planning in April 2015.

Enterprise Resource Planning is responsible for computer applications that manage the system of State government purchasing, accounting, payroll, personnel, and budgeting.

GEOSPATIAL SERVICES
In April 2015, Geospatial Services formed under Application Management.

Appointed by the Secretary of Information Technology, the State Geographic Information Officer heads Geospatial Services.

WEB & eGOV
100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD 21032

Origins of Web and eGov trace to the Department of Budget and Management, where Web Systems was established formally within the Office of Information Technology in July 2005. Web Systems became part of the Department of Information Technology in July 2008, and was placed under Operations in February 2009. In February 2015, Web Systems moved under Strategic Planning. In April 2015, Web Systems reformed as Web and eGov, and transferred to Application Management.

Web and eGov manages the State's Internet portal, which provides centralized on-line access to State agency websites for Maryland citizens. The Department's web presence also is managed by Web and eGov, which hosts certain statewide applications and community websites, and coordinates strategic initiatives, such as web branding.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure traces its origins to January 2005, when the Networks Division began within the Office of Information Technology under the Department of Budget and Management. The Division joined the Department of Information Technology in July 2008, and was placed under Operations in February 2009. Reorganized in April 2015, the Networks Division was renamed Infrastructure.

Critical communication infrastructure systems are maintained and supported by Infrastructure to improve broadband access for State agencies and critical local community institutions, such as schools, libraries, hospitals, and public safety agencies. These systems include construction of telecommunication towers; the maintenance and expansion of the State's communications fiber optic network, called networkMaryland; and a statewide radio communication system for first responders, called Maryland First.

100 Community Place, Crownsville, Maryland, July 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Under Infrastructure are Cloud Services; End-User Computing and Support; Hosting Centers and Transport; Network Operations; and Voice Systems.

CLOUD SERVICES
Under Infrastructure, Cloud Services organized first as Servers and Storage in April 2015. It became Cloud Services in November 2016.

END-USER COMPUTING & SUPPORT
End-User Computing and Support began as Customer Services under Enterprise Information Services. It became the Customer Service Center under Infrastructure in April 2015, and adopted its present name in February 2016.

This unit oversees Desktop Services and the Service Desk, which assists State agency users to resolve any difficulties they encounter using statewide computer applications, such as the Financial Management Information Systems. The Center provides on-line registration for training to use the Financial Management Information Systems, and maintains its Bulletin Board System, which provides daily updates on system problems, hour changes, batch cycle information, user group meetings, migrations, and other important information. In addition, The Center assists citizens using State agency websites maintained by the Department.

HOSTING CENTERS & TRANSPORT
Hosting Centers and Transport formed under Infrastructure in April 2015.

VOICE SYSTEMS
Voice Systems originated as Voice and Customer Services in 1996 under Telecommunications within the Department of Budget and Management, became Technical Support Services in 1997, and Voice and Technical Services in 2002. As Voice Services, it transferred from Telecommunications to Enterprise Information Services in November 2004. It was made part of the Networks Division in the Department of Information Technology in July 2008. When the Networks Division reformed as Infrastructure in April 2015, Voice Services was renamed Voice Systems and placed under Telecommunications and Network Services.

For State agencies, Voice Systems coordinates the development, procurement, management, and operation of telecommunication equipment and systems for voice applications. The office provides technical advice and consultation services to State and local governments. By developing policies and standards for the acquisition and use of voice systems, Voice Systems promotes the compatibility of telecommunications systems within State agencies.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS

Within the Department of General Services, Statewide Interoperable Communications began as Radio Services. It became Wireless Communication Services in 1994, and transferred to the Department of Budget and Management in 1996. Under the Office of Information Technology, it was renamed Wireless Support Services in 1997, and Wireless Services in 2002. As part of the Networks Division, it moved to the Department of Information Technology in July 2008. Under the Chief Operating Officer, the Statewide Radio System was established as a separate division in April 2015. In December 2015, it adopted its present name.

Statewide Interoperable Communications promotes compatibility between radio systems; evaluates and promotes the sharing of resources, where appropriate; and procures wireless systems, including radio, microwave, cellular phone and paging systems. It also advises State agencies on planning, acquisition, and operation of radio systems; and provides radio frequency coordination assistance to State and local government.

OFFICE OF SECURITY MANAGEMENT

The Office directs, coordinates, and implements the overall cybersecurity strategy and policy for the Executive Branch of State government. This strategy and policy relate to standards by which to categorize all information and information systems collected or maintained by or on behalf of each unit of State government; as well as to guidelines governing the types of information and information systems to be included in each category; and security requirements, i.e. management, operational and technical controls, for information and information systems in each category. They also concern assessing the categorization of systems and data, and the associated implementation of information security requirements; determining whether a system should be allowed to continue to operate if the State Chief Information Security Officer finds security vulnerabilities or deficiencies in the implementation of information security requirements.

The Office's role with regard to strategy and policy also involves the management of security awareness training for State employees; assisting to develop data management, data governance, and data specification standards to promote standardization and reduce risk; and assisting to develop a digital identity standard and specification applicable to all parties who communicate, interact, or conduct business with or on behalf of State government.

Directing the Office of Security Management is the State Chief Information Security Officer, who also chairs the Maryland Cybersecurity Coordinating Council.

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE
Enterprise Planning and Architecture began as Enterprise Architecture. Formerly under Enterprise Information Services, it adopted its present name and moved under Statewide Security Services in April 2015.

This office works to develop technically compatible information technology systems statewide, in both State and local government. By setting standards and establishing guidelines for Maryland's technical architecture framework, State agencies are helped to develop more efficient and effective information technology structure.

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line

© Copyright Maryland State Archives