The Employment Development Department (EDD) is seeking seeking a firm that will collectively possess extensive expertise and expert-level knowledge in project management and portfolio management. The consultant team will provide their service to improve project and portfolio management activities by establishing best practice methods for managing, tracking, and communicating information for all internal resources, activities, vendors, funding, decisions, risks, issues, and progress reporting related to the EDDNext initiative. Where feasible, this work will be accomplished using existing EDD project management standards, tools, and processes. The objectives of the EDDNext project will require the effort of a professional consultant project management team to work in collaboration with EDD's project management team. This outcome of effort is expected to establish enhanced enterprise PMO standards and capabilities for our for our teams, organization, and external stakeholders.

Background

The Employment Development Department (EDD) in California administers one of the nation's largest public benefit systems with over 21 million claimants and 63 million claims being filed for Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disability Insurance (DI), and Paid Family Leave (PFL) over the past decade. The EDD organization also supports many auxiliary business functions for hundreds of thousands of employers, medical providers, and other stake holders. Through the EDDnext project, the state will engage with communities across California to help design and implement systems and services that are easier to use and adapt to changing circumstances.  .

Given scope and mandates, EDD programs largely operate independently of each other, and different programs have different channels and platforms where customers submit benefits information. Each program currently operates its own distinct set of technologies, databases, and interfaces, which to a certain degree hasresulted in each program developing its own policies, regulations, and rules that manifest in unique eligibility requirements and processes. Various EDD programs are in different stages of automation, from manual and paper-based processes, to  more seamless digital processes. One of the primary goals of EDDNext is to eliminate barriers to the creation of a cohesive and consistent experience for customers across all programs and channels.

Currently, EDD has a robust and mature Project Services Group, aka PMO. However, with the volume of workloads, assignments, and tasks for the EDDNext project and all ancillary initiatives, there is a need to help supplement, align, and complement the current PSG operation.

As a result of these objectives, we foresee the following challenges: 

1. Multiple concurrent engagements requiring various additional project management assets
2. Difficulty in coordinating all activities with varying priorities, available resources, and goals
3. Inconsistencies in project definitions across multiple initiatives
4. Lack of consolidated visibility relative to resource allocation and availability
5. Challenges with portfolio management and resource management tools
6. Limited expertise in CDT’s Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL) methodology and requirements
7. Recognition of high-profile projects requiring elevated degrees of visibility
8. Lack of organizational flexibility to meet the increased demand of PMs
9. Difficultly in management of projects with multiple workstreams
10. Difficulty in facilitation of discussions with SMEs to build consensus
11. Lack of organizational KSAs and experience working on Plans of Action and successful achievement of Milestones

The EDDNext project team is seeking responses from proposers that can meet the following requirements:

1. Experience in defining, designing, implementing, and operating a portfolio management program.​
2. Experience in Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) and working with Plan of Action and Milestones.​
3. Commitment to maintaining and retaining qualified resources for the duration of the project.​
4. Experience in working with control agencies ​
5. Experience in Hybrid Agile Framework (HAF) or similar project management methodology.

​The project will improve the service by focusing on the following strategic objectives:

1. Establish enhanced enterprise PMO standards and capabilities for EDDNext teams, organization, and external stakeholders.​
2. Ability to manage any risks and mitigate identified risks through the development and implementation of a risk management plan.​
3. Improve project and portfolio management activities by establishing best practice methods for managing, tracking, and communicating information for all internal resources, activities, vendors, funding, decisions, risks, issues, and progress reporting related to the EDDNext initiative.​
4. Ability to manage PAL and BCP requirements.