Electronic Filing System Proposal

Texas Ethics CommissionJanuary 31, 2013

Texas Ethics CommissionJanuary 31, 2013

Purpose of Presentation

Familiarize Commission, Legislative Staff and Public with Current Needs and Proposal for a New Electronic Filing System

2

Background

This a “System”

Can’t Get it “Off-the-Shelf”

Ethics Commissions and Laws Vary Significantly State To State

DIR Assistance

Estimates Ranged up to $6.2 Million

3

What is the Desired Goal?

One Integrated Filing Platform

Robust Data Administration

Intuitive Filing for All Filers

Streamlined Software Maintenance

* TEC maintains the system

Own our Software

Efficiency = Cost Savings

4

What Do We Have Now?

Electronic Filing Programs and the Platforms They Run On

Campaign FinanceTX-CFS

Microsoft Platforms only: XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8

Visual Basic 6

Purchased from NIC – GA 2000

Modified for the State of Texas in 1998-1999

WebfilerPlatform independent

Browser limitations

Developed in-house 2007

Coldfusion, Java, HTML, PHP

5

What Do We Have Now?

Electronic Filing Programs and the Platforms They Run On

LobbyTX-LFS

Microsoft Platforms only: XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8

Visual Basic 6

Developed in-house 2004 - modeled after TX-CFS

6

What Do We Have Now?

Electronic Filing Programs and the Platforms They Run On

Personal Financial Statement (PFS)PFS Software

Microsoft Platforms only: XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8

Visual Basic 6

Developed in-house 2009 – modeled after TX-CFS

Stores data on local PC

No electronic filing capability

Fillable PDF formsNo data storage on local PC

No electronic filing capability

7

What Do We Have Now?

Electronic Filing Programs and the Platforms They Run On

Agency Management System (AMS)TEC front end access tool to manage filer records

Microsoft Platforms only: XP, Windows 7

Visual Basic 6

Written by NIC specifically for TEC – GA 2000

8

What Do We Have Now?

DatabasesOracle 10g

Stores filer raw data

Disjointed tables – adhoc

MySQLStores website search data

Excel spreadsheets

9

What Do We Have Now?

HardwareWindows PCs – front end

Unix servers – backend

10

What Do We Have Now?

State of current systemFunctional – it currently works

Difficult to maintain

Software – aging programsState of Texas programs are entering end-of-life

Visual Basic Programming language is deprecated

Microsoft no longer supports the development platform

Windows 8 is likely the last platform for required run-time libraries

Hardware – aging serversOracle server - end of life

11

What We Want

Electronic Filing Programs and the Platforms on Which They Will Run

Integrated System

Client filing applicationsPlatform independent

Web based

Mobile

Intuitive guidance for the filer (think TurboTax)

Pleasant user experience

Comprehensive internal management toolsRobust data management

Financial accounting system

Comprehensive, flexible reporting capabilities

12

What We Want

DatabaseOracle 11g

Well planned tables

Financial accounting system

Hardware - backendCurrent TEC Linux servers

New Linux servers

13

What We Want

New Electronic Filing System Use Cases

Filers:

DFS:

14

How Rolling Reporting Fits In

Vendors’ Estimates Accounted for Possibility of Rolling Reporting

At the Discretion of the Legislature

15

Current Electronic Filing System Proposal

$3.5 Million Custom Software Electronic Filing System:

* Campaign Finance

* Lobby

* Personal Financial Statements

* Database

* Front end management tools

16

Status of Current Proposal

Proposed in TEC Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR)

Upgraded Technology is Recommended by Sunset Commission

17

Steps We’ll Take if Proposal is Adopted

Contract Out Statement of Work

Let the Project Out for Bid (DBITS)

- Deliverables-Based IT Services

Contract for Project

Work closely with Vendor Providing Oversight, Resources and Expertise until Completion

We Maintain the System18

Estimated Time Frame Until Completion

1.5 to 2 years

May Be Impacted By:

* New Laws

* Additional/Less Requirements

* Lack of Sufficient Funding

etc . . .

19

Conclusion

Summary

* Now is the Time

* . . . very, very difficult

* Quality Staff (We are the Experts)

Questions?

20