Enterprise IT Investment Management

The CMS Integrated IT Investment & System Life Cycle Framework (ILC) can be viewed as a hierarchy. The top layer is applicable to CMS information technology (IT) investments, which may be comprised of one or more individual IT program or projects, and is subject to Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) disciplines.

CPIC is the CMS's primary process for making investment decisions, assessing investment process effectiveness, and refining investment related policies and procedures. CPIC is mandated by the Clinger-Cohen Act, which requires agencies to use a disciplined process to acquire, use, maintain and dispose of information technology (IT). CPIC accomplishes these requirements through three phases: Select Phase, Control Phase, and Evaluate Phase. In alignment with CPIC, the ILC identifies phases of the IT Investment layer as IT Investment Selection Phase, IT Investment Control Phase, and IT Investment Evaluation Phase respectively.

In the IT Investment Selection Phase, the costs and benefits of all available projects are assessed and the optimal portfolio of project is selected. During the IT Investment Control Phase, the portfolio is monitored and corrective action is applied where needed. In the IT Investment Evaluation Phase, implemented projects are reviewed to assure that they are producing the benefits expected and adjustments are made where appropriate. All phases may be underway simultaneously as they are applied to projects at different stages of their life cycle.