Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Praises ITSD Improvements to Save Taxpayers $1 Million
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt praised the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) for improving services and saving taxpayer dollars that are expected to generate more than $1 million in savings.
"This is another example of the many ways our focus on efficiency and waste reduction is adding up to real savings for Missouri's hard working families," Blunt said. "Last year I asked Dan Ross and his staff to improve our state's information technology system. Through their hard work and dedication they are establishing a new system that is more efficient and, at the same time, delivering quality service to state agencies and Missourians."
In 2005 the Department of Mental Health was the first state agency to fully consolidate with ITSD. This consolidation created the opportunity to save $37,000 annually in network expenses and to redirect a position dedicated to network support. ITSD estimates greater savings will be realized as more agency data networks are consolidated.
ITSD, in collaboration with the Department of Social Services, avoided spending $343,727 for fiscal year 2006 by expanding the use of bar-coding and reducing postage costs on correspondence. Also avoided was an additional $378,669 in fiscal year 2006 by converting programs to route reports into an online report distribution package instead of having them printed on paper and distributed.
ITSD formed a multi-agency team to research and recommend a new statewide contract for Internet content filtering, which will allow inappropriate sites to be blocked and reduce the unnecessary traffic on the state's network. The new three-year contract results in actual savings of $122,833 per year and will result in a total savings of $368,499 over three years.
By leveraging the consolidated purchasing power they were able to provide a common security application to safe guard against malicious activity. This purchase, covering over 30,000 state employees, saves the state $315,000 a year for this vital security measure.
ITSD was also able to leverage one agency's network management software license so that it can be shared as a statewide license. This eliminated the need for other agencies to purchase a similar software license. As a result, this cooperative sharing results in a one-time cost avoidance of $49,350 and an annual savings of $9,870 after 2005.
For more information contact Dan Ross at the Information Technology Services Division at (573) 526-7746.