June 2022
Contracts
Project & Service Updates
Policy & Process
Services & Solutions
Reminders
Did You Know
Portfolio Office Updates
DoIT IT Leadership Meeting
Thank you to everyone who participated in the DoIT IT leadership meetings that were held on 4/22/22 and 5/26/22.
We were pleased to receive such positive feedback from our guests and are in discussions about how to continue
and expand on these opportunities in the future.
How can we help you?
Portfolio Officers serve as the primary contact to begin discussions regarding agency strategic initiatives and IT
solution development. The Portfolio Office supports agencies by acting as a point of escalation, answering questions,
and helping agencies determine feasible solutions to meet their business needs.
FY2023 Budget & ITMP Review
As mentioned during the IT Leadership Meetings, the Portfolio Office will review agency Information Technology
Master Plans (ITMP’s) and FY2023 0876 projected utilization with each agen cy. This review will help to better align
agency needs with DoIT’s FY2024 budget submission with respect to providing services across the state. Your
Portfolio Officer will reach out by the end of July to schedule a time to meet and review both the ITMP and the
projected utilization.
Contract Updates
AWS Contract
The new Amazon Web Services (AWS) contract was awarded to Strategic Communications in May 2022. The
Contractor will provide the State with AWS cloud services which include but are not limited to storage; archiving; web
services and web application runtime environments; relational and non-relational databases; infrastructure-as-a-
service, platform-as-a-service, and software-as-a-service. DoIT is working with affected agencies to transition
accounts to the new contract.
Innovative Workforce Solutions
This contract aims to aid in the State's ongoing efforts to help create economic and career opportunities for citizens
who may not otherwise have access to a viable path to employment in the IT industry. Once an individual
successfully graduates from the contractors’ apprenticeship programs, they are blended with experienced agile
teams, providing a coaching and learning environment through employment. The State benefits by having access to
cost effective IT staff and the knowledge that it is further assisting these individuals with increasing their skill level
through State contracting opportunities. DoIT is very excited to be a part of helping to facilitate career development
for our citizens. Contact your Portfolio Officer if you are interested in learning more about this service.
Project & Service Updates
Video Teleconferencing Hardware
In the coming months, DoIT will be coordinating with agencies to distribute approximately $500,000 in cameras,
displays, microphones, and other associated equipment to improve video conferencing capabilities in conference
rooms around the State. The DoIT procurement was based on agencies' feedback in response to the survey
distributed by the Portfolio Office at the end of 2021.
Statewide Workforce Identity Platform
On 6/8/22 BPW approved a contract and DoIT procurement of components which will form the basis of a new
Statewide Workforce Identity Platform. Built on services and products from Okta, this platform will provide a single
Statewide directory of Maryland employees, contractors, and other workers. It will also provide a single plane for
identity-based security of State data and information systems, as well as other Statewide security benefits. The initial
implementation will replace current DoIT managed identity and authentication tools. Please contact the Portfolio
Office to find out more.
Policy & Process
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Template Library
DoIT EPMO added new templates to the System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) template library to help project
teams start collaborating from the initiation of a project. With the newly added templates, project teams will spend less
time figuring out how to structure projects while promoting repeatability and optimal coordination. The link to the
SDLC Template Library can be found here.
Highlighted Services & Solutions
Business Intelligence Services
A variety of tools that empower organizations to analyze and present data in interactive visual formats. Dashboards
and reports can be generated and made accessible from agency websites. Additionally, Business Intelligence
Professional services are also available.
Local Area Network (LAN) Services
DoIT provides fully managed Local Area Network (LAN) services within a building or across a campus environment.
The service includes equipment and technology upgrades (as appropriate), maintenance, configurations,
administration, and support of network infrastructure.
Remote Access Services (VPN)
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) remote access platform provides multiple options for connecting to state
resources. A client-based option offers the ability to establish a VPN connection from a mobile computing device
back to the agency network, thereby making the mobile device an extension of the network. Customers can also
utilize a web portal to gain access to agency network resources.
Digital Communications Management Services (Granicus)
Granicus (formerly GovDelivery) provides digital communication services that enable State agencies to send mass
communications to customers and constituents via e-mail, SMS/text message, social media, and RSS feed as
needed.
Contact your Portfolio Officer if you are interested in learning more about these services.
Reminders
MOU
The DoIT IT Services MOU outlines the roles and responsibilities associated with the recurring services agencies
receive from DoIT. Without an executed MOU, DoIT’s ability to provide access to services, contracts, and other
resources is significantly hindered. If you have any questions or need a copy of the MOU, contact your Portfolio
Officer.
Did You Know
New banners in Google Chat protect against malicious links
In Google Chat, you’ll see banners warning against potential phishing and malware messages coming from users
with personal Google Accounts. These warning banners, which are already available in Gmail and Google Drive, help
protect users against malicious actors, keeping data safe.
New Idle status in Google Chat
In Google Chat on the web and Chat in Gmail, you'll see an orange clock badge for users that were recently active in
Chat, but aren't currently active. We hope this makes it easier to determine the best time to connect with your
colleagues. Visit the Help Center to learn more about availability statuses in Google Chat.
New email draft template in Google Docs
You can mention people in the recipient fields using the @ menu without having to remember their email addresses,
and collaborate on the message body using comments and suggestions. When ready to send, simply click the button
that is shown alongside an email draft. A Gmail compose window will pop up, with email fields (subject, to, cc, bcc,
and body) automatically populated based on the email draft in the document.
New Emoji reactions in Google Docs on web
Giving and receiving feedback is a key collaborative workflow in Google Docs. The new emoji reactions feature
provides a less formal alternative to comments to express your opinions about document content.
