Submission and Approval Process

(1) To implement a process that ensures that all technology purchases by Registries of Deeds are compatible with each other, itis imperative that all acquisitions be coordinated through a central control point. This "control point" shallbe the Director ofthe Secretary’s Automated Systems Division. The Director will establish a top-down Secretary IT planning process. The Secretary’s ITD Plan will address a framework for all Registry of Deeds hardware, software and telecommunications standards conforming, where practicable, to existing State Information Technology Division (ITD) hardware, software and telecommunications standards. (2) Once the Secretary’s IT Plan has been drafted, approved and released, eachRegistryofDeeds will prepare a Registry ITD Plan that is in consonance with Secretary’s Plan and submit it for review to the Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division. (3) Each Registry IT Plan will contain and describe the IT initiatives that it intends to undertake to improve the efficiency and/or effectiveness of their operation. The Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division will review each Registry plan and approve, reject and or return it for additional information. Once the Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division has approved the Registry's IT Plan, individual technology acquisition requests will be reviewed by said Director on the basis of the Registry's plan and its conformance with the Secretary’s IT Plan. The following sections describe this process. (a) Registry Information Technology Plans - Every Registry shall prepare a Registry IT Plan, which is comprised of, but not limited to, a set of its IT initiatives covering a period at least equal to the remainder of the current fiscal year and the succeeding fiscal year. The Registrywillsubmit the plan in a format and by a date established by the Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division. The Registries will revise their plan as often as necessary to keep it current, to conform it to the applicable Secretary’s IT Plan, and to maintain the required period of coverage. The Secretary will establish procedures to coordinate the preparation and revision of Registry IT Plans. Each Registry will deliver its Registry IT Plan and all revisions to the Secretary. Each Registry IT Plan will be subject to reviewbythe Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division, and others as appropriate. The Secretary may delay action on any pending request until the Registry IT Plan of the requesting Registry is complete and current. (b) Registry Information Technology Initiatives - IT Initiatives are planning tools. As such, they may be long-term in focus. They are not limited to the remainder ofthe current fiscalyear and the succeeding fiscal year. And they need not be specific about exact funding sources for the prospective IT Resources. Each Registry will deliver to the Secretary their IT Initiatives as they are developed. Each initiative will contain a plan to improve the efficiency and/or effectiveness of its operation. For example, an initiative could describe a project to automate a business function or to enhance an already automated process or function, in order for the Registry to improve the achievement of its mission. (c) Secretary Information Technology Plan - The Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division will prepare a Secretary IT Plan covering a period at least equal to the remainder of the current fiscal year and the succeeding fiscal year. The Secretary IT Plan will address hardware, software and telecommunications standards conforming, where practicable, to existing State Information Technology Division (ITD) hardware, software and telecommunications standards. The Director of the Secretary’s Automated Systems Division will revise the plan as necessary to keep it current and to maintain the required period of coverage.