The Montana Department of Public Service Regulation (DPSR) seeks a Project Manager and Software Analyst (PMSA) to assess the agency’s software needs and manage the procurement and implementation of a new and/or enhanced software solution. The PMSA will evaluate software and make recommendations to fulfill the agency’s technology needs for case management, data management, and customer relations. The PMSA will develop and execute a project plan, with responsibilities that include, but are not limited to:

·       Creating requirements

·       Coordinating procurement and selection

·       Negotiating contract terms

·       Overseeing configuration

·       Implementing system design

·       Managing DPSR team and vendor activities

·       Overseeing data migration

·       Coordinating and performing testing and training on new software

·       Verifying contract performance and deliverables

·       Verifying functionality and performance of final product(s)

The DPSR is seeking a single individual or company to perform this role over the duration of the project, estimated to be part time work over the course of 12-24 months. The selected contractor may perform the majority of the project remotely but may be required to attend two (2) in-person meetings in Helena over the course of the project. Costs for these meetings must be included in the hourly rate bid; the PSC will not provide separate reimbursement for travel costs.

DPSR is a small state agency with 35 employees. It performs quasi-judicial, quasi-legislative, and executive functions related to regulating public utilities and telecommunications providers, licensing motor carriers, and conducting railway and pipeline safety inspections.

Background

Electronic Database for Docket Information (EDDI) is the DPSR’s current electronic database and docketing information system that was built by Montana’s State Information Technology Service Division (SITSD) and implemented in 2019.  The EDDI application uses SQL server, and all of the web pages are custom build utilizing the C# dotnet framework. All of this is hosted in the State Data Center, and the backend is managed by SITSD. PSC Staff have access to edit some, but not all, of the data in EDDI.

Our goal is to repair or replace the troubled EDDI platform so that we have a user friendly and robust system that allows end users and PSC staff to easily access data, and lets PSC staff move, edit, and delete data and users without having to put in a ticket. We also need functionality that benefits all staff, such as Consumer Assistance and Legal personnel. We intend to have a wide variety of users test this new system, to ensure everyone has what they need.

Objectives of this CEP:

1.     Review the needs of DPSR, recommend appropriate system platform(s)/vendor(s), and coordinate selection, procurement, and implementation of suitable software product(s).

2.     Provide project management for the identification and procurement of the desired end product(s) including:

3.      

a.     Develop a Project Charter (including Scope of Work outlining the core elements, phases, and projected timetable for accomplishing the project).

b.     Develop a Statement of Work (SOW) detailing the project.

c.      Draft a project plan detailing product requirements, roles and responsibilities of parties involved in the project, strategy for solicitation, screening, and selection and related documents.

d.     Create a project schedule with milestones for the project; and a performance checklist to evaluate progress regularly.

4.     Provide project management during the development and implementation of the new system.

a.     Demonstrate progress to relevant stakeholders regularly.

b.     Create a testing plan that includes relevant stakeholders.

c.      Create training for all users.

5.     Conduct a Lessons Learned session with appropriate staff and document in project completion report.

6.     Provide a project completion report at the end of the project.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Project Management

·       Collaborate with stakeholders to define and refine the project scope, risks, goals, and deliverables.

·       Develop project plans and associated communication documents.

·       Effectively communicate project tasks, milestones, and expectations to team members and stakeholders in a timely a clear manner.

·       Estimate the resources and participants needed to achieve project tasks and deliverables.

·       Set and continually manage project expectations with team members and other stakeholders, including a prioritized features and benefit list (stories).

·       Assign and delegate tasks and responsibilities to appropriate staff.

·       Identify and resolve issues and conflicts within the project team.

·       Identify and manage project dependencies and critical path.

·       Plan and schedule project timelines and milestones using appropriate tools.

·       Track project milestones and deliverables.

·       Demonstrate progress and seek input.  

·       Develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and presentations.

·       Determine the frequency and content of status reports from the project team, analyze results, and troubleshoot problem areas.

·       Proactively manage changes in project scope, identify potential crises, and devise contingency plans.

·       Guide and motivate project team members and influence them to take positive actions and be accountable for their assigned tasks.

·       Plan and schedule testing process with appropriate stakeholders.

·       Plan, create and schedule training with users.

Business Analysis

·       Elicit requirements using interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, use cases, scenarios, business analysis, task, and workflow analysis.

·       Critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources, reconcile conflicts, decompose high-level information into details, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from the true underlying needs.

·       Apply strong analytical and product management skills to interpret customer business needs and translate them into the application and operational requirements.

·       Collaborate with developers and subject matter experts to establish the technical vision.

·       Collect and analyze the business requirements and develop procurement and solicitation documents.

·       Prepare accurate and detailed requirement specification documents, user interface guides, and functional specifications documents.

·       Document the acquired results and analysis and workflows and obtain sign-off from the appropriate process owners.

Experience Requirements

1.     PMP (Project management Professional), Agile, or SCRUM Certification, or equivalent 

2.     Experience with Agile development process, project charter, SOW, business analysis

4.     Bachelors Degree or higher in Information Technology or related field or equivalent work experience.

5.     Minimum five years of experience performing project management, business analysis, or IT management.

6.     Public sector experience; document/case management system experience preferred

and specific work with document/case management system are preferred.