Solution Architect

• The Minnesota Department of Information Technology Services (MNIT), partnering with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, is seeking one (1) full-time staff augmentation resource to perform Solution Architect duties pertaining to the assessment phase of an Access Modernization project.
• Commerce currently has 23 Access applications that are used to track various aspects of Commerce business.
• These applications range in functionality from simple to quite complex, and many are critical to business functions.
• There are also numerous manual paper processes associated with these Access applications.
• The focus of the Access Modernization project is to replace obsolete and unmaintainable Access applications that no longer meet business needs with modern solutions that meet business needs and are streamlined, efficient, and secure.
• This will include the automation of manual processes associated with the applications where possible.
• The Solution Architect resource will assess the 23 Access applications (including high-level business requirements, data flows, and any related manual processes) and provide recommendations as to replacement with off the shelf software, replacement with custom built application, or leaving as is.

The 23 identified applications are in the table below:

Complaints

FMLA Tracking

Fuels Monitoring Report (FMR)

Grants

Insurance Examinations

Regional Energy Information Systems (REIS) Utility Data

Registration

Renewable Energy Production Incentive (REPI)

Revenue Yearly Upload

RFP Database

Self-Insurance

Weatherization Assistant

Weatherization Assistant - State Reports Module

Weatherization Monitoring Issues Log

Sircon Reports

Distributed Generation /Qualifying Facilities Reports,

Financial Exams (AKA Financial Institutions)

Actuary

Financial Programs

Power Clerk Data Viewer

Commonline

E85 and MidBlend Fuels

Petrofund

Tasks

Interview end users of Commerce Access applications to define and document:

• High level business requirements for each application.
• Data flows in and out of each application.
• Manual processes associated with each application.
  • Make recommendations on whether each existing application should be replaced by off the shelf software, be replaced by a custom built application, or stay "as is", in order to meet business needs.
  • For each application where replacement with off the shelf software is recommended, identify software option(s) including product name(s), estimated costs, estimated time to implement, and pros/cons of each option if there are multiple options.
  • Where multiple off the shelf software options are identified, provide recommendation as to which option should be chosen.
  • Present findings in writing and verbally to the project team as research/recommendation for each application is completed.
  • Provide knowledge transfer to State staff.
  • Perform other related duties as requested by the State.

Minimum Qualifications

• Five (5) years' experience defining high level requirements
• Five (5) years' experience defining business needs
• Five (5) years' experience defining data flows

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with project(s) where software selection was the end product
• Experience with software selection project(s) for a government agency
• Experience with Access or other legacy applications
• Experience with modernization project(s)
• Experience with business analysis