ICT asset management procedure

Audience

Department-wide

Purpose

This procedure outlines the responsibilities and processes for employees who manage the defined lifecycle stages and activities for the department’s enterprise or local information and communication technology (ICT) assets (including software of any value), in order to enable proactive investment planning for ICT assets and optimise performance requirements to support front-line and corporate services.

This procedure should be read in conjunction with the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure, Purchasing and procurement procedure, Equipment management for schools procedure, Equipment management for business units procedure and the Financial management practice manual (DoE employees only).

Overview

The management of ICT assets within an established lifecycle is pivotal to ensuring the ongoing performance of departmental services and functions in accordance with customer and community expectations.

The objectives of the ICT asset management procedure are to ensure:

• all ICT assets are identified and documented throughout their ICT asset lifecycle
• all ICT assets are maintained and renewed according to defined asset specifications and expected life
• all ICT assets are risk managed throughout their lifecycle
• ICT asset owners are identified and are aware of their responsibilities
• replacement of ICT assets are planned well in advance
• roles and responsibilities are clearly defined within the asset management lifecycle
• lifecycle stages for ICT assets (i.e. plan, purchase, implement, utilise and enhance/retire) align with Section 23 of the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 (Qld) and relevant Queensland Government and departmental policies, procedures and standards to ensure maximum compatibility with existing systems and the provision of proper support.

Responsibilities

Information and Technologies Branch (IT Branch)

• develop architectures to support the integration of the department’s Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only)
• develop and maintain a central ICT services and products register (DoE employees only)
• develop and maintain a central Technology product life cycle information (DoE employees only) which captures the full lifecycle information of enterprise ICT assets
• manage the lifecycle of enterprise ICT assets including core departmental hardware infrastructure assets, enterprise platforms and IT Branch managed ICT assets
• develop and maintain ICT asset related standards, procedures and supporting documents
• provide ICT related leadership, advice and/or assistance to ICT asset owners within schools, regional and central offices on the management of the lifecycle stages for local ICT assets (i.e. plan, purchase, implement, utilise and enhance/retire)
• ensure enterprise ICT assets are immediately registered and/or updated within the SAP asset register when the status of the ICT changes within the lifecycle, such as when acquired or disposed
• assist local ICT asset owners within the school, regional or central offices, to understand and implement ICT asset related standards, procedures and supporting documents
• audit compliance with ICT asset related standards, procedures and supporting documents.

Local ICT asset owners in central office

• managing the lifecycle of local ICT assets. Refer to Image 1
• engage IT Branch to provide advice and/or assistance in the management of all stages of local ICT assets’ lifecycle
• budget and obtain funds for the ongoing costs of local ICT assets with support from Finance Branch, as required
• develop local processes and procedures to manage all stages of local ICT assets’ lifecycle in compliance with related departmental standards, procedures and supporting documents
• conduct all ICT procurement (including software, software licences, maintenance agreements etc.) in accordance with the department’s Purchasing and procurement procedure and ICT purchasing requirements (DoE employees only)
• ensure local ICT assets are registered and/or updated within the SAP asset register when the status of the ICT asset changes within the lifecycle, such as when acquired or disposed
• ensure software of any value is managed in accordance with the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure
• ensure software (including software licences, maintenance agreements etc.) is registered and/or updated within the local software asset register (DoE employees only) when the status of the software changes.

Local ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices

• manage the lifecycle of local ICT assets (including software of any value) within the school or regional office (i.e. plan, purchase, implement, utilise and enhance/retire). Refer to Image 1
• engage the Regional Technology Manager to provide advice and/or assistance in the management of all stages of local ICT assets’ lifecycle, such as when acquired or disposed of
• budget and obtain funds for the ongoing costs of local ICT assets with support from the Regional Financial Advisory Services Manager, as required
• conduct all ICT procurement (including for software, software licences, maintenance agreements etc.) in accordance with the department’s Purchasing and procurement procedure and ICT purchasing requirements (DoE employees only)
• ensure software of any value is managed in accordance with the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure
• ensure schools’ local ICT assets (including software of any value) are registered and/or updated within the OneSchool’s Agresso asset register when the status of the ICT asset changes
• ensure regional office’s local ICT assets are registered and/or updated within the SAP asset register (regional offices) when the status of the ICT asset changes
• ensure regional offices’ software of any value is registered and/or updated in the local software asset register (DoE employees only) when the status of the software changes
• develop local processes and procedures to manage all stages of local ICT assets’ lifecycle in compliance with related departmental standards, procedures and supporting documents.

Regional Technology Managers

• provide ICT related advice and/or assistance to local ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices regarding the management of all stages of local ICT assets’ lifecycle
• assist local ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices to develop local processes and procedures to manage all stages of local ICT assets’ lifecycle in compliance with related departmental standards, procedures and supporting documents.

ICT Project Managers

• select a model that suits the local implementation requirements for enterprise or local ICT assets
• develop and manage a suitable project plan in accordance with standards, procedures and supporting documents relating to the implementation of enterprise or local ICT assets
• develop and maintain a project risk register for local implementation activities, with corresponding risk mitigation plans
• proactively oversee implementation activities and the performance of local contractors
• identify and work collaboratively with IT Branch staff, Regional Technology Managers and external providers to coordinate the required outcomes
• address change management aspects of the implementation of ICT assets
• develop a local training plan for the use of new ICT assets
• ensure all ICT procurement (including software, software licences, maintenance agreements etc.) is in accordance with the department’s Purchasing and procurement procedure and ICT purchasing requirements (DoE employees only)
• ensure enterprise and/or local ICT assets are immediately registered and/or updated within the SAP asset register (regional offices) or the OneSchool’s Agresso asset register (schools) when the status of the ICT asset changes
• ensure software of any value is registered and/or updated in the OneSchool’s Agresso asset register (schools) or the local software asset register (DoE employees only) (central or regional offices) when the status of the software changes.

Finance Branch

• provide financial support and advice to ICT asset owners within schools, regional and central offices on the financial implications of managing their local ICT assets.

Process

The five stages of the department’s ICT asset management lifecycle are:

• plan – future planning for replacement or enhancement of ICT assets (i.e. budgeting, risk management, requirement definition and solution options)
• purchase – funding and procurement of the required solution from established arrangements in accordance with departmental procurement policies, procedures and practices
• implement – register, install and commission new ICT assets and solutions including training and change management activities
• utilise – utilisation and on-going management and maintenance of ICT assets throughout their useful life
• enhance/retire – enhancement of ICT assets during their useful life or retirement and disposal of the assets that have reached the end of their useful life or which no longer meet business requirements.

Image 1 : ICT asset management lifecycle

The school, regional or central office will consider the following when making investment decisions regarding their ICT assets (including software of any value):

• communication and collaboration requirements in a digital future
• location and local infrastructure capacity
• regional diversity and remote schooling
• size and scale of different divisions and schools
• demographic and community expectations
• safety and security requirements
• individual schooling, student and staff requirements
• budgetary considerations and investment sustainability.

Plan stage

During the plan stage, local ICT asset owners in the schools, regional and central offices need to conduct annual investment planning processes for their controlled ICT assets (including software, software licences, maintenance agreements etc.), to ensure the longevity of the investment.

Local software requirements should be reviewed to determine whether existing software, software licences and maintenance agreements etc. need to be renewed, retired or replaced in accordance with the Queensland Government Software asset management policy and Software asset management guideline, and the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure.

This includes assessment of local ICT assets’ requirements, solution selection and prioritisation, and/or the confirmation of funding, prior to progression to the purchase stage.

The planning and recording processes for fixed assets, (portable and attractive items ($500-$4,999) and capital assets (>$5,000)) may be performed as part of the department’s School performance planning, monitoring, reviewing and reporting (DoE employees only), in addition to equipment replacement plan activities as documented within the department’s Equipment management for schools procedure and Equipment management for business units procedure.

During the plan stage, IT Branch will:

• develop and maintain a consistent methodology towards future ICT investment planning, in accordance with departmental and whole-of-government approaches to ICT portfolio management
• conduct annual investment planning for enterprise ICT assets
• collate a whole-of-department portfolio view comprised of local ICT investment plans
• report to the Deputy Director-General, People and Corporate Services, via regular Innovation and Information Steering Committee (IISC) reports on investment trends and likely project requirements
• manage the IT Branch budget for enterprise ICT assets and develop funding requests (where required) for IT Branch managed ICT assets
• provide a range of specialist ICT advisory services to assist local ICT asset owners to conduct annual planning activities for ICT assets
• provide a range of corporately approved ICT assets through Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only)
• develop whole-of-department funding requests
• develop and maintain support tools to be utilised during this stage (e.g. risk assessment tools and associated data, decision support tools to assist in the identification of short and long term requirements and suitable solutions) and provide business case guidelines and templates.

During this stage, Finance Branch will:

• provide input to the development of consistent methodology for ICT asset management, in accordance with departmental and whole-of-government approach to ICT management
• provide relevant financial advisory services to assist local ICT asset owners to manage their ICT assets.

During this stage, local ICT asset owners in the schools, regional and central offices will:

• conduct annual investment planning process for local ICT assets (including software, software licences and maintenance agreements etc.) as part of the department’s School performance planning, monitoring, reviewing and reporting (DoE employees only)
• conduct equipment replacement plan activities as documented within the department’s Equipment management for schools procedure and Equipment management for business units procedure
• review local software requirements to determine whether existing software, software licences and maintenance agreements etc. need to be renewed, retired or replaced
• conduct a risk assessment of local ICT assets at least annually
• develop local ICT asset replacement/upgrade priorities, in consultation with IT Branch and Finance Branch to align with the department’s ICT investment portfolio
• determine and access any new requirements (e.g. Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only))
• identify and prioritise funding requirements to support the management, maintenance and replacement of local ICT assets
• consult with IT Branch and Finance Branch to develop funding requests and/or business cases to seek funding where funding is not available for priority ICT investments
• assume ongoing financial responsibility for local ICT assets which are not funded through IT Branch
• collect and define business requirements for ICT asset related projects.

During this stage, Regional Technology Managers will:

• provide ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices, leadership, advice and/or assistance.

During this stage, ICT Project Managers will:

• develop and maintain a project plan (DoE employees only), in accordance with standards, procedures and supporting documents relating to the implementation of the ICT assets
• identify ICT assets in scope, to be provided, replaced, enhanced and/or retired
• identify and determine ongoing support requirements for the management, maintenance and replacement of the ICT assets.

Purchase stage

During the purchase stage, local ICT asset owners commence purchasing activities in accordance with the department’s Purchasing and procurement procedure in order to acquire and implement the chosen ICT asset (including software). Activities include utilisation of the product and delivery model, development of a purchase requisition and the raising of a purchase order/s before progressing to the implementation stage.

During the purchase stage, IT Branch will:

• as requested, and at predetermined intervals, obtain reports from the department’s SAP asset register (regional and central offices) and the OneSchool’s Agresso asset register (schools)
• develop the required purchasing arrangements to support standard hardware and software ICT assets, including Standing Offer Arrangements (SOAs)
• provide access (DoE employees only) to information and decision support tools to assist local ICT asset owners to simplify the procurement of ICT assets
• provide a range of corporately approved ICT assets through Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only)
• provide technology assistance and advisory services for local ICT asset owners to enable purchasing decisions to be made
• maintain the required contract and vendor management functions to support high quality external service delivery.

During this stage, local ICT asset owners within the schools, regional and central offices will:

• evaluate and determine the appropriate ICT asset/s using SOAs, Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only) and other tools
• conduct all ICT procurement (including software, software licences, maintenance agreements etc.) in accordance with the department’s Purchasing and procurement procedure and ICT purchasing requirements (DoE employees only)
• collect and define business requirements for any purchasing activities to manage the ICT assets through their lifecycle.

During this stage, Regional Technology Managers will:

• provide ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices leadership, advice and/or assistance.

During this stage, ICT Project Managers will:

• develop the required purchasing arrangements to support the ICT assets
• conduct all ICT procurement (including software, software licences, maintenance agreements etc.) in accordance with the department’s Purchasing and procurement procedure and ICT purchasing requirements (DoE employees only).

Implement stage

During the implement stage, local ICT asset owners need to consider a range of factors to ensure a smooth transition of the local ICT asset into a work environment, in order to achieve the intended benefits once purchasing requirements have been successfully completed.

During the implement stage, IT Branch will:

• provide specialist project management related resources to conduct implementation activities for all enterprise ICT assets
• oversee the implementation of ICT assets that are performed by third parties
• ensure all local implementations are subject to quality management activities, including but not limited to, testing, piloting and robust commissioning processes
• ensure all enterprise ICT assets comply with ICT standards (DoE employees only)
• ensure all implementation activities comply with departmental and whole-of-government project management policy and guidelines (DoE employees only)
• meet the required departmental and whole-of-government reporting requirements for projects that meet certain criteria.

During this stage, local ICT asset owners in the schools, regional and central offices will:

• coordinate local implementation activities
• ensure new ICT assets are registered and/or updated within the SAP asset register (regional and central offices) or the OneSchool’s Agresso asset register (schools) in accordance with the department’s Equipment management for schools procedure,Equipment management for business units procedure, Financial management practice manual (DoE employees only) and Assets web page (DoE employees only)
• ensure software of any value is managed in accordance with the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure
• register and/or update software of any value in the OneSchool’s Agresso asset register (schools) or the local software asset register (DoE employees only) (regional and central offices) when the status of the software changes
• coordinate any local change management activities including but not limited to, training, process enhancement, stakeholder consultation etc.
• ensure ICT asset users understand the processes for ensuring information within the ICT asset and the ICT asset, is managed in accordance with the Information security classification and handling guideline (DoE employees only)
• work closely with the project manager to participate in the required project quality management activities prior to the commissioning of any new ICT assets, including testing
• update local business continuity plans (DoE employees only) in the event of a business disruption
• develop or modify local guidelines and processes to accommodate any new ICT assets (including software)
• ensure the disposal of any superseded or expired ICT assets (including software, software licences etc.) in accordance with the enhance/retire stage.

During this stage, Regional Technology Managers will:

• provide ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices leadership, advice and/or assistance.

During this stage, ICT Project Managers will:

• select an implementation model that suits local requirements for the ICT assets
• perform pre-requisite activities, testing and implementation of the chosen product, go-live, and change management activities
• develop and maintain a risk register for any local implementation activities and develop mitigation plans
• proactively oversee implementation activities and the performance of local contractors
• identify and work collaboratively with IT Branch staff, local staff and external providers to coordinate the required outcomes
• address change management aspects of the implementation of ICT assets
• develop a local training plan for the use of new ICT assets (if required)
• transfer ownership of new ICT assets (including software, software licences etc.) to the new ICT asset owners in accordance with the department’s Equipment management for schools procedure and Equipment management for business units procedure, if ownership is not to be retained within IT Branch (including provision of maintenance requirements)
• dispose of previous ICT assets (including software, software licences etc.) within the scope of the project in accordance with the enhance/retire stage.

Utilise stage

During the utilise stage, local ICT asset owners need to regularly manage and maintain locally implemented ICT assets. At some point, the ICT asset will need to be replaced. This occurs in the enhance/retire stage.

During the utilise stage, IT Branch will:

• provide support services for ICT assets in accordance with the department’s Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only), including but not limited to:
  • the department’s IT Service Centre via telephone 1800 680 445 or online via Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only)
  • management of all incidents and problems for the department’s enterprise ICT assets and services
  • management of the configuration of the department’s enterprise ICT assets
  • management of the capacity of IT Branch managed ICT assets
  • facilitation of structured change management processes and risk mitigation for ICT assets and services.

During this stage, local ICT asset owners in the schools, regional and central offices will:

• ensure the lifecycle of local ICT assets are managed in accordance with manufacturer standards
• ensure local ICT assets are covered by the appropriate levels of manufacturer support and warranty
• review the capacity of the ICT asset on a regular basis to ensure the operation aligns with operational requirements
• manage the ongoing configuration of the ICT asset
• manage ongoing software updates, licences, maintenance agreements etc. in accordance with the Use of ICT systems procedure
• manage upgrades in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, including conducting required levels of testing and validation of changes (if required)
• report any incidents or problems with enterprise or corporately purchased ICT assets or services to the department’s IT Service Centre for resolution
• ensure information within the ICT asset is managed in accordance with the Information security classification and handling guideline(DoE employees only)
• perform regular risk management activities for local ICT assets
• ensure local ICT assets are used in accordance with departmental standards, procedures and supporting documents such as the Use of mobile devices procedure and Use of ICT systems procedure
• manage contracts and supplier’s activities including performance.

During this stage, Regional Technology Managers will:

• provide ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices leadership, advice and/or assistance.

During this stage, ICT Project Managers will:

• ensure change management aspects of the implementation of ICT assets are completed
• update, if required, the local training plan for the use of new ICT assets
• validate the transfer ownership of the new ICT assets (including software, software licences etc.) to the new ICT asset owners in accordance with the department’s Equipment management for schools procedure and Equipment management for business units procedure, if ownership is not to be retained within I&T Branch (including providing maintenance requirements).

Enhance/retire stage

During the enhance/retire stage, local ICT asset owners need to decide and manage processes relating to enhancing existing ICT assets and their eventual retirement or write-off and replacement, in accordance with depreciation schedules and manufacturer recommendations.

Software upgrades and support are provided through a maintenance agreement or a subscription licence that needs to be reviewed and renewed yearly as part of the plan, purchase and implement stages of the lifecycle.

The enhancement of a pre-existing ICT asset often occurs as requirements evolve over time or local capacity needs to be increased. The enhancement process includes but is not limited to:

• obtain additional capacity for the existing ICT asset
• deliver new functionality to the existing ICT asset
• integrate new services into the existing ICT asset
• regular upgrades of software according to a maintenance agreement or subscription licence.

The enhancement of an existing ICT asset directly links into the purchase and implement stages of the lifecycle.

During the enhance/retire stage, IT Branch will:

• triage requests for enhancement of existing ICT assets
• assist ICT asset owners to define requirements and scope enhancement requests
• oversee enhancement projects in accordance with the implement stage of the ICT asset lifecycle
• dispose of IT Branch managed ICT assets subject to retirement
• provide information and advice on the correct disposal of information within the ICT asset and the ICT asset in accordance with the Information security classification and handling guideline (DoE employees only).

During this stage, local ICT asset owners in the schools, regional and central offices will:

• if the ICT asset (including software) is being enhanced, define the requirements and arrange for it to be assessed by IT Branch through the Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only) or the Regional Technology Manager:
  • if the enhancement is for a local ICT asset, the ICT asset owner will schedule the change, test the enhancement/s, go-live, then proceed to the utilise stage
  • if the enhancement is for an enterprise ICT asset, IT Branch will schedule and manage the enhancement
• define business requirements to support any enhancement project/s
• identify and provide funding to support enhancement project/s
• if the ICT asset is being retired, proceed to the purchase stage if a replacement is needed
• dispose of ICT assets (including software, software licences etc.) in accordance with the information security classification and handling guideline (DoE employees only), the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure, Equipment management for schools procedure, Equipment management for business units procedure, Financial management practice manual (DoE employees only) and Assets web page (DoE employees only)
• mitigate the risks associated with continued use of ICT assets (e.g. telephony and collaboration systems) that have reached the end of their useful life.

During this stage, Regional Technology Managers will:

• provide ICT asset owners in schools and regional offices leadership, advice and/or assistance.

During this stage, ICT Project Managers will:

• dispose of ICT assets (including software, software licences etc.) in accordance with the information security classification and handling guideline (DoE employees only) and the department’s Use of ICT systems procedure, Equipment management for schools procedure, Equipment management for business units procedure, Financial management practice manual (DoE employees only) and Assets web page (DoE employees only).

Definitions

Legislation

• Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 (Qld) (section 23)

Delegations/Authorisations

• Nil

Other resources

• Assets (DoE employees only)
• Business continuity management (DoE employees only)
• ICT standards (DoE employees only)
• Enterprise portfolio and planning (DoE employees only)
• Enterprise portfolio management office (DoE employees only)
• Enterprise risk management procedure
• Equipment management for business units procedure
• Equipment management for schools procedure
• Financial management practice manual (DoE employees only)
• How to classify information (DoE employees only)
• ICT asset management (DoE employees only)
• ICT asset management FAQs (DoE employees only)
• ICT asset management lifecycle process (DoE employees only)
• ICT purchases (DoE employees only)
• Information security classification (DoE employees only)
• Information security classification and handling guideline (DoE employees only)
• Purchasing and procurement procedure
• Queensland Government About the QITC framework
• Queensland Government ICT resources strategic planning policy (IS2)
• Queensland Government Procurement and disposal of ICT products and services policy (IS13)
• Queensland Government Procurement and disposal of ICT products and services implementation guideline
• Queensland Government Software asset management policy
• Queensland Government Software asset management guideline
• Regional Financial Advisory Services (DoE employees only)
• Regional IT customer Manager (DoE employees only)
• School performance planning, monitoring, reviewing and reporting (DoE employees only)
• Services Catalogue Online (SCO) (DoE employees only)
• Software asset register template (DoE employees only)
• Use of ICT systems procedure
• Use of mobile devices procedure 

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

1.0 ICT asset management procedure