Memorandum
DATE: June 16, 2022
TO: Administration and Finance Committee
FROM: Tegin Teich, Executive Director, Central Transportation Planning Staff
RE: Proposed Five-Year Plan (SFY 2023–27) for Computer Resources Development
The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) prepares a Five-Year Computer Plan annually, with the goal of updating the plan each state fiscal year (SFY) to better represent the information technology (IT) infrastructure investment needs of the agency. The plan typically includes hardware and software that are considered major reinvestments or cost more than $5,000 per single item.
In the past five years, CTPS has made significant progress in updating and replacing its computing infrastructure. The following provides details of this progress.
The data processing/technology investment in the SFY 2023 budget includes the replacement of the agency’s disk-based backup appliance. Disk-based backup is a data backup and recovery method that backs data up to hard disk storage. The current appliance will reach the end of its service life on December 31, 2022, and will not be eligible for future technical support after that date. Increased need for storage space to back up agency servers and workstations will also be addressed with the purchase of this new backup appliance.
In SFY 2024, CTPS plans to replace the firewall server that is used to host the firewall software, the file server that is used to host files used by staff, a virtual host server that hosts multiple virtual machines, and two transportation modeling workstations. CTPS also plans to purchase additional storage for the disk backup appliance. It is important to replace IT equipment as it reaches its life span of approximately five years. .
In the outer years of this plan, it will be necessary to replace a server that hosts the agency’s databases and applications, a server that hosts virtual machines, plotters for printing maps and large documents, and several dedicated transportation modeling workstations.
In the indirect hardware line item, CTPS plans to equip its conference rooms and meeting rooms with audio-visual equipment to support hybrid meetings. The annual lease of approximately $28,000 for laptops used by staff is also included in this line item.
CTPS plans to procure services for a fully managed (24x7x365) endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution, a multi-factor authentication (MFA) for domain level account access, and software that backs up the cloud platforms. CTPS also plans to increase managed support of the firewall to 24x7x365 and procure managed support for the switches.
Cost estimates for SFY 2023–27 proposed purchases are shown in the attached Table 1 – Direct Charges for Computer Purchases by Fiscal Year. The direct expenses are funded by the annual 3C contract.
Attachment: Table 1 – Direct Charges for Computer Purchases by Fiscal Year
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166.
The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background.
A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.
To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact
Title VI Specialist
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
civilrights@ctps.org
By Telephone:
857.702.3702 (voice)
For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:
For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay