Charter_2010_0002C

The purpose of this Charter is to establish the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC) Change Control Board (CCB).   The HHS EPLC CCB supports the efforts of the HHS Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Operating Division (OPDIV) CIOs in implementing consistent IT life cycle management best practices through the HHS EPLC Policy, Framework Document and associated artifacts.  

This is a first issuance.

The vision of the HHS EPLC CCB is to represent the interests of the HHS CIO and the OPDIVs and STAFFDIVs by ensuring that a structured process is used to consider proposed changes to the EPLC and incorporate changes into a specified release of the EPLC Policy, Framework and Artifacts. The HHS EPLC CCB shall review change requests, evaluate the impact of the proposed changes and vote on whether or not to move forward with the requested changes. 

The mission of the HHS EPLC CCB is to meet the business need of HHS and its OPDIVS and STAFFDIVS by implementing a change control plan and change processes for managing changes to the HHS EPLC framework, its processes, procedures, and artifacts. The repository for the official HHS EPLC communications will be http://www.hhs.gov/ocio/eplc. It is important to note that changes addressed by this charter are not related to project changes, such as those related to scope, schedule, and budget.

The mission of the HHS EPLC CCB has evolved from the implementation of the HHS EPLC project management methodology. The implementation of EPLC by HHS and the OPDIVs has been ongoing since March 2008, through the EPLC Workgroup (representing HHS OPDIVs and STAFFDIVs) and the HHS IT Project Management Office (PMO), a component of the HHS OCIO IT CPIC Program. 

Through this collaborative implementation effort, a number of clear functional requirement areas and specific roles have emerged and continue to be developed. One role identified is a formal HHS EPLC CCB under the sponsorship and authority of the HHS OCIO, and the direction of the HHS IT Capital Planning Officer. The HHS EPLC CCB will be charged with identifying issues affecting IT projects at HHS and proposing policy and guidance solutions to improve IT life cycle management operations across HHS.

The principles, guidelines and processes described in the HHS EPLC CCB Charter are applicable to all Department of Health and Human Services Organizational Components (Operating Divisions) to achieve consistent and best project management practices across HHS. 

The HHS EPLC CCB shall be responsible for:

• Receiving and logging requests for changes to the EPLC Policy, Framework and Artifacts;
• Reviewing EPLC implementation policies for each Operating Division (OPDIV);
• Conducting regular reviews of change requests to the EPLC Policy, Framework and Artifacts;
• Accepting or rejecting the requested changes; and
• Requesting additional information on a change request, if needed.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) or Executive Officer of each Operating Division (OPDIV) at their discretion shall appoint the OPDIV lead to represent their OPDIV on the HHS EPLC CCB.  Participating members shall be senior-level personnel who have full voting authority to represent their respective OPDIV regarding IT life cycle management through the HHS EPLC Framework. 

If the existing representative leaves, the OPDIV will be responsible for: appointing a qualified replacement within two weeks after being advised of the representative’s departure; and notifying the HHS EPLC Co-chairs.

The HHS EPLC Co-chairs are the HHS OCIO EPLC PMO Lead and an OPDIV representative nominated and approved by simple majority vote from the list of OPDIV voting members. This OPDIV Co-chair position is a two year term.

• The following OPDIVs constitute the initial voting membership of the HHS EPLC CCB:

• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• Administration on Aging (AoA)
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• HHS Office of Secretary (OS)
• Office of the Inspector General (OIG)

• One representative from each of the following Critical Partners (as defined in the HHS

EPLC Framework) from HHS:

• Enterprise Architecture (EA) - functional manager
• Security - functional manager
• Acquisition Management - functional manager
• Finance - functional manager
• Budget - functional manager
• Human Resources - functional manager
• Section 508 compliance - functional manager
• Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) - functional manager
• Performance - functional manager

Contractors may not fill these roles.  In addition, subject matter experts (SMEs) and other advisory members (including contractors), particularly those representing the interests of the HHS OCIO, may be invited to attend HHS EPLC CCB meetings as non-voting members with the concurrence of the EPLC CCB Co-Chairs.  Each standing member of the HHS EPLC CCB shall have one vote. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members.  OPDIVs and Critical Partners should each name one alternate who will have the authority to vote if the prime representative is not available.

 The HHS EPLC CCB shall meet regularly at a time and place set by the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs.  In addition, the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs may convene the HHS EPLC CCB in an emergency session to address time-critical topics as deemed necessary.

Principals are expected to attend all meetings. Attendance may be in person or conference call. If necessary, a member may be represented by a designated alternate. A simple majority of the voting members in attendance must attend the meeting to establish a quorum. 

Items presented to the HHS EPLC CCB shall be circulated electronically for members' review at least five (5) workdays in advance of the meeting time so members can review the documents in a meaningful way. In some cases, disposition may be determined by virtual deliberation of the members without convening an HHS EPLC CCB meeting. 

HHS EPLC CCB members will determine if a change request should be recommended for approval as is, denied or if a more detailed assessment is required and/or justified.  If a detailed assessment is necessary, the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs will assign resources to complete an impact analysis.  The HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs will take into consideration other EPLC workgroup priorities, resources, and release status when acting on an individual change request.

The HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs shall provide a staff person to take meeting minutes and to document recommendations, decisions and action items. Minutes will be distributed to the HHS EPLC CCB within two weeks after the meeting. A comment period of one week shall be used prior to the minutes being posted to the web. A copy of this documentation will be maintained on a Share Point site for future reference.  The HHS EPLC CCB will publish its meeting agenda at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The agenda for each meeting will be maintained with the related documentation.

Each HHS EPLC CCB member will inform the requestor and their OPDIV EPLC community of the boards’ recommendations and decisions. Determinations regarding each change request and justifications for the HHS EPLC CCB’s recommended determination are documented in Meeting Minutes.

At the next subsequent meeting, the HHS EPLC CCB will review and approve the minutes prepared from the previous meeting.

 7.1 Records Management

In accordance with Federal records management regulations prescribed in 36 CFR Subpart B and with mandatory records retention instructions specified in General Records Schedule (GRS) 24 for Information Technology Operations and Management Records  (http://archives.gov/records-mgmt/ardor/grs24.html), and in GRS 27 for the Records of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (http://arcjives.gov/records-mgmt/ardor/grs27.html), the HHS EPLC CCB will create adequate and proper documentation of the work of the HHS EPLC CCB.  Records include, but are not limited to, membership rosters, agendas, meeting minutes, reports (including reports to the Secretary), decisions and votes, and working papers created and used in the course of the work of and prepared for the HHS EPLC CCB.  The HHS EPLC CCB shall designate an HHS EPLC CCB member to create and maintain the official records of the HHS EPLC CCB.

Agenda items are compiled by the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs.  Agenda items must relate to the three areas of focus the HHS EPLC CCB governs (i.e. EPLC Policy, Framework, and Artifacts).  The nature of requests received will likely concern suggested EPLC improvements and explore ways to improve compliance to the EPLC process as HHS needs change over time.

The HHS EPLC CCB shall report directly to the HHS IT Capital Planning Officer, acting on the authority of the HHS CIO.  The HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs shall be responsible for reporting the decisions and recommendations of the HHS EPLC CCB to the HHS IT Capital Planning Officer. 

HHS EPLC CCB recommended decisions shall be determined based on the vote of a majority (at least 51 percent) of the voting members in attendance.  Each principal CCB member has one vote.  Their designated alternate may vote in their stead.  In the event of a tie or in the absence of a quorum, the HHS EPLC PMO co-chair votes to break the tie.

If a requestor is not satisfied with the outcome, the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs will escalate the issue to the HHS IT Capital Planning Officer.  If necessary, issues can be further escalated to the HHS Deputy CIO and/or the HHS CIO/Assistant Secretary for IT, as the HHS IT Capital Planning Officer determines. 

Status reports are prepared by the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs as necessary to keep management informed of the status of the HHS EPLC CCB recommendations and decisions. 

Ad hoc reports are prepared as requested by management or as deemed necessary by the HHS EPLC CCB Co-Chairs.  Copies of these reports shall be preserved in accordance with section 7.1 of this document and made available to HHS EPLC CCB members on the boards’ SharePoint site.