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About

This page serves as an introduction to the BEST Program Governance, including information on the various governing boards that provide guidance, strategic direction, decision-making, and insight to the Program Management Office.

Jump to: BEST Advisory Committee | Business & Technical Transformation Board | Architectural Review Board

Executive Sponsors

Headshot of Matthew Gorzkowicz, Secretary of the Executive Office of Administration and Finance
Matthew Gorzkowicz

Secretary for Administration and Finance

The Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) develops and executes cost-effective public policy initiatives and services that ensure the financial stability, efficiency, and effectiveness of state and local government.

Learn more about Secretary Gorzkowicz

Headshot of William McNamara Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
William McNamara

Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Office of the Comptroller oversees the Commonwealth’s financial systems, promoting integrity, mitigating risk, and providing accurate reporting and promoting transparency to illustrate the financial health of Massachusetts.

Learn more about Comptroller McNamara

Headshot of Jason Snyder, Secretary of the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security
Jason Snyder

Secretary of Technology Services and Security

The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security’s mission is to provide secure and quality digital information, services, and tools to customers and constituents when and where they need them.

Learn more about Secretary Snyder

BEST Advisory Committee (BAC)

The BAC provides new insights and advice to solve business problems or explore new transformational opportunities. This Committee’s role is not to make decisions, but rather to provide current knowledge, critical thinking, guidance and analysis to enhance Program success and achievement of business outcomes.

Responsibilities

  • Understand the financial processes of the Commonwealth and apply that understanding when reviewing configuration and design options offered in the new Financials solution
  • Participate in facilitated configuration requirements meetings or workshops which will document requirements and record options and recommendations
  • Participate in user acceptance testing activities
  • Evaluate information gathered from multiple sources and distinguish user requests from underlying true needs related to software configuration options
  • Review proposed business process changes and assess impact on agencies/users
  • Review key program deliverables
  • Participate in agency briefings by BEST Points of Contact (POCs) and Technical Points Of Contact (TPOCs)
  • Assist in identifying user change network
  • Provide input on issues and risk mitigation options
  • Identify standard delivered reports including configuration and testing of reports, queries and dashboards (as needed with BEST Data and Information Team

Members

  • Executive Office for Administration & Finance
  • Executive Office of Education
  • Executive Office of Health & Human Services
  • Executive Office of Technology Services & Security
  • Human Resources Division
  • Executive Office of Health & Human Services
  • Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Office of the Comptroller
  • Office of the State Treasurer & Receiver General
  • Trial Court

Business & Technical Transformation Board (BTTB)

The BTTB provides decision-making on enterprise-wide functional, technical, and operational issues identified by the PMO which cannot be resolved by the Program Management Office. The BTTB may seek input from the BEST Advisory Committee and broader Financial User Community and escalates issues to the Sponsors as needed.

Responsibilities

  • Monitor Program execution & delivery to ensure alignment with strategy, scope, budget, schedule, and resources set forth by the Sponsors
  • Recommend final approval of go live readiness to the Exec. Sponsors
  • Provide tactical options for implementing business process change including input on change management, training, and readiness
  • Provide decisions on cross-agency or cross-functional solutions on both business and  IT-related issues
  • Resolve risks and issues escalated from the PMO
  • Champion and reinforce the importance of the BEST Program to agency management/staff and ensure agency support of Program staffing needs
  • Assist in communication of Program status and decisions to agencies and financial user community
  • Review and approve change order spending above the Program budget within thresholds established by the Sponsors, for transmission to the IIAB

Members

  • Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Department of Mental Health
  • Department of State Police
  • Executive Office of Administration and Finance
  • Executive Office of Health and Human Services
  • Executive Office of Technology Services & Security
  • Massachusetts Gaming Commission
  • Office of the Attorney General
  • Office of the Comptroller
  • Office of the State Treasurer
  • Salem State University
  • Trial Court

Architectural Review Board (ARB)

The ARB ensures that BEST architectural and technology initiatives align with the Commonwealth’s Enterprise Architecture standards, principles, policies and ultimately align with the Commonwealth’s business and technical goals, strategies, and objectives. The ARB will evaluate proposed architectural and technical detailed designs or approaches prior to building the new solution.

Responsibilities

  • Review and approve architecture roadmaps, design principles and best practices
  • Evaluate solution designs per best practices; if design is rejected, provide recommendations to the PMO for improvement
  • Solicit and consider input from BEST governing bodies during decision-making process
  • Provide input to decisions made by BEST governing bodies
  • Escalate business decisions outside the scope of the ARB to the Program Management Office (PMO), as appropriate
  • Recommend a course of action to the PMO and provide supporting analyses (when decision is escalated to another body)
  • Keep Executive Sponsors, BTTB and PMO informed of major architectural decisions

Members

  • BEST Program Management Office
  • Executive Office for Administration & Finance
  • Executive Office of Technology Services & Security
  • Office of the Comptroller