CMS Acquisition Lifecycle Modernization (CALM)
Investment ID: 009-000429991
Overview
Program Title
CMS Acquisition Lifecycle Modernization (CALM)
Description
The CALM investment is transitioning CMS' current IT portfolio of tools, data, and human interfaces that support FAR based procurements, inter-agency agreements, and grants (CMS Acquisition Infrastructure) to a modern architecture, focusing on data management, acquisition infrastructure, applications and business process improvement. CALM will provide users with an intuitive, enhanced experience that will drive user satisfaction and improved data quality.
Type of Program
Major IT Investments
Multi-Agency Category
Procurement, Financial Management
Investment Detail
CALM provides a single contract writing system for CMS that spans both contracting and programs. CALM will enable strategic sourcing and other acquisition efficiencies by standardizing data, business rules, and milestone tracking. Furthermore, CALM will allow for a standardized and integrated method of anticipating, reacting, and responding to the current pace and changes in process, regulation, and technology across the contract domain.
When fully implemented, CALM will enable business process changes necessary to converge on a common contract writing management capability across CMS. CALM capabilities will be developed in accordance with the agile software development methodology. CALM has leveraged the Air Forces CON-IT solution built on the Appian platform. This has provided a significant head start in development of the core application. Following a successful product launch, the flexibility of the Appian platform will provide the ability to efficiently develop solutions targeted for specific programs or contracts, greatly increasing the efficiency of those programs and contracts.
A core aspect of CALM will be the interaction of CALM across the Programs. CALM will deploy Portfolio Management that will provide an in-depth look into a Programs portfolio of contracts. Portfolio Management will provide robust financial analysis of the contract portfolio so Programs can remain in touch with current financial statuses, upcoming milestones, document access, interfaces to internal operating applications such as budgeting, IT verification systems, and external applications such as USAspending.gov.
CALM will provide a return on investment in several ways. 1. Automated internal workflows will manage the approval process. Electronic signatures will eliminate the need to print a contract. 2. Data fields through data reuse and rules based clauses will be pulled into the standard template with the no need for contract specialists and contracting officers to search for data thereby improving productivity. Additionally, central electronic repository for all contracts and associated documents with flexible searching options allows flexibility. 3. Through the use of features such as template management, CALM will improve employee productivity, efficiency, and collaboration with the requiring office which will reduce cost and hours spent on previously time-consuming and redundant tasks. Also, CALM will reduce risk, increase compliance, and a decrease in missed dates and milestones. 4. CALM will allow detailed needs analysis that will decrease contracts from multiple vendors for duplicate services across CMS. 5. Through the use of automated workflows CALM will reduce the time to complete tasks and through the incorporation of dashboards regarding upcoming actions, provide a level of workload predictability to significantly reduce employee costs in overtime. 6. CALM will also extend to the vendor community to provide enhanced efficiency.
Additionally, the Appian platform provides native tools to advanced aspects such as Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence. Future plans include the use of these tools to enhance user productivity. CALM will also build contract auditing features to consolidate reporting and eliminate manual data pulls. The auditing features will also track and notify COs of FAR mandated responses and deadlines to align with Cost Accounting Standard Administrative Actions.
When fully implemented, CALM will enable business process changes necessary to converge on a common contract writing management capability across CMS. CALM capabilities will be developed in accordance with the agile software development methodology. CALM has leveraged the Air Forces CON-IT solution built on the Appian platform. This has provided a significant head start in development of the core application. Following a successful product launch, the flexibility of the Appian platform will provide the ability to efficiently develop solutions targeted for specific programs or contracts, greatly increasing the efficiency of those programs and contracts.
A core aspect of CALM will be the interaction of CALM across the Programs. CALM will deploy Portfolio Management that will provide an in-depth look into a Programs portfolio of contracts. Portfolio Management will provide robust financial analysis of the contract portfolio so Programs can remain in touch with current financial statuses, upcoming milestones, document access, interfaces to internal operating applications such as budgeting, IT verification systems, and external applications such as USAspending.gov.
CALM will provide a return on investment in several ways. 1. Automated internal workflows will manage the approval process. Electronic signatures will eliminate the need to print a contract. 2. Data fields through data reuse and rules based clauses will be pulled into the standard template with the no need for contract specialists and contracting officers to search for data thereby improving productivity. Additionally, central electronic repository for all contracts and associated documents with flexible searching options allows flexibility. 3. Through the use of features such as template management, CALM will improve employee productivity, efficiency, and collaboration with the requiring office which will reduce cost and hours spent on previously time-consuming and redundant tasks. Also, CALM will reduce risk, increase compliance, and a decrease in missed dates and milestones. 4. CALM will allow detailed needs analysis that will decrease contracts from multiple vendors for duplicate services across CMS. 5. Through the use of automated workflows CALM will reduce the time to complete tasks and through the incorporation of dashboards regarding upcoming actions, provide a level of workload predictability to significantly reduce employee costs in overtime. 6. CALM will also extend to the vendor community to provide enhanced efficiency.
Additionally, the Appian platform provides native tools to advanced aspects such as Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence. Future plans include the use of these tools to enhance user productivity. CALM will also build contract auditing features to consolidate reporting and eliminate manual data pulls. The auditing features will also track and notify COs of FAR mandated responses and deadlines to align with Cost Accounting Standard Administrative Actions.