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LEVERAGINGLEVERAGING YOUR BC/COOP/PANDEMIC

CONTINUITY PLANBRAV JUNE 10, 2010

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When can you use your Pandemic/“Staff Shortage” Plan?

• Just Pandemic Flu Scenario?

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Ponder this: When can you use your “Staff Shortage” Plan?

• Pandemic – Flu etc.?• General Illness of any kind?• Hurricanes?• Tornadoes?• Snow or Ice Storm?• Flood?• Power Outage?• Civil Unrest/Terrorism?

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Plan Scenarios

• Loss of Facilities (building)

• Loss of Technical Services (data center, networks, phones)

• Loss of Staff

• Combinations or Variations

• Different Plans for Different Scenarios?

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“Traditional Plan” – loss of building

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Are Technical Services Usable?

If not, use Alternate Site

Is the Building Usable?

Can people work?

If not, recover or have backup services

If not, provide alternative solutions…..

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VHDA Experience: BC/COOP & Pandemic Plans

• Business Continuity Plans (2003-2004)

• IT Plans (2005-2007)

• Pandemic Flu Plan (2008)

• Telework/Work-at-Home Plans (2009)

• BC Exercises (Annual)

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VHDA BC/COOP Plans - Expanded

• Business Continuity Plans – Based on State Government & Business Templates

• HQ, Emergency, Command & Business Unit Plans

• Pandemic Flu Plan reviews, awareness

• IT & Work-at-Home Plans - Analysis

• BC Exercises, Pandemic Scenario

• Plan Used! -- Lessons Learned

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Pandemic Flu• VHDA Pandemic Plan Highlights

– Based on State template+, Staff Shortage scenario

– Escalation based on severity of outbreak

– Heavy emphasis on HR policies, alternate work practices

• Response to first flu outbreak– Command Center Team met daily; monitored event

– Emphasized hygiene, cleaning facilities & supplies

– Maintained Awareness of any illness or exposure

– Mandated some isolation

– Reviewed work-at-home needs and capabilities

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VHDA PANDEMIC INFLUENZA CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS (COOP) PLAN

    

Virginia Housing Development Authority

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN 

 

 Revised Sep. 2009

 

 Not subject to FOIA under Virginia Code §2.2-3705.2

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VHDA Pandemic Influenza Continuity of Operations Plan

Table of Contents•General Assumptions•VHDA-Specific Assumptions•ALTERNATE WORK ARRANGEMENTS•Telecommuting/Off-Site Work Provisions•Closure of Service Locations•Alternate Work Schedules•HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT – ASSOCIATE MANAGEMENT•Cross-training•Infection Control and Workforce Protection•Policies•Vendors•IMPLEMENTATION•VHDA Plan Activation•Communications•Health Management•Associate Management

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HO Global Pandemic Phases•Inter-pandemic Period

•Phase 1•Phase 2

•Pandemic Alert Period•Phase 3•Phase 4•Phase 5

•Pandemic Period•Phase 6

•Post-pandemic Period•Business Impact Considerations

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Work at Home Surveys• Conducted two surveys:• Work-at-Home needs – “quick & dirty” – WHO needs?• Work-at-Home capabilities – more thoroughFor Each Associate:• Do you have a personal computer at home?• Do you have a printer at home?• Do you have an internet connection at home?• If so, how do you connect to the internet? High Speed?• If you have an internet connection, who is the

provider? Do you have Citrix for access?• Any special considerations for technology at home?

• Followed up with procedures, documentation, and technology improvements!

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Survey - Purpose, assumptions:

Determine what Work-at-Home needs and capabilities would be for a business disruption such as a pandemic flu, that would require critical functions to be done by associates from home. Assume all computer facilities at HQ would be available as normal; however, staff would be reduced, and most would not be able to work at HQ or alternate work sites.

The requirements are based on business needs, and correspond to information in the Business Impact Analysis and Business Continuity Plans.

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•Work-at-Home survey results:

• Total Associates - 294• ”Critical” Associates - 194• Have VHDA DR Laptop always at home - 12• Have VHDA Office Laptop (docking) - 68• Have Own Home PC - 251• Have a printer at home - 205• Access Type High Speed - 194• Internet Provider - 244•Have Citrix for VHDA access - 151•Special considerations from Home - 59• -- includes MACs, remote areas w/out access etc.

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Follow-up Efforts after first outbreak

• Shared plans with associates – email, newsletters, presentations• Updated Pandemic Plan and posted on Intranet --VHDA and the State (vs. WHO) determine the severity of the pandemic--VHDA will get direction from the governor's office before any major actions• Conducted Business Continuity/flu exercises for all areas• Reviewed and updated Pandemic Flu plan again based on exercises• IT project expanded phone, network, and remote access• New software for remote Call Center phone capability

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BC Pandemic ExercisesTabletop Exercises• 1 hour for each business unit• 2 hours for Command Center Team• How can work get done in a pandemic?

Pandemic scenario• Assume data center is fully operational• Staff illness/absence determined by random scheme with each group

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Pandemic Exercises – Lessons Learned

• Exercises very well-received, high participation• Most had not read the Pandemic Plan, but were aware of it• Critical function associates are generally prepared to work at home, others are not• Most associates expect to work from home in a pandemic

• “Critical functions” are not the only criteria for work at home decision• Many associates would check email, voice mail, etc• Most associates have not tried to access network remotely• Teleworkers & most “Critical functions” folks are well-prepared for remote work in this scenario (regular use of home PCs or issued laptops)

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Pandemic Exercises – Lessons Learned (cont)

• Numerous “Technology Issues” with home PCs etc.• Existing technology could support ~25% of staff from home --This is severely impacted by external users at month end• Upgrades were done to support more remote workers• Big issue was handling Contact Center calls remotely• Associates have remote voice mail and other phone capabilities• There was not much time for training and new user support --- FAST response to needs required!

IT/BC “Health Emergency Plan” Project

• Objective - Identify technology gaps and provide realistic options to extend capacity for associates to support critical business processes remotely in the event of a pandemic.

• Outcome - The team identified three primary areas that need attention:

• Internet/ISP bandwidth• Citrix Remote Gateway – capacity• Voice Environment - Cisco Unity voicemail capacity, Cisco

Remote Agent SoftPhone capability, and inbound/outbound trunk capacity for Cisco CallManager

• Actions• Presented to management for prioritization - September• Green light to execute most recommendations• Developed user documentation and communication• Project DONE – October-November

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What did this tell us about alternate work plans in

different scenarios?

Facilities Technical Services Staff

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Or Different Events?• Pandemic – Flu etc.?• General Illness of any kind?• Hurricanes?• Tornadoes?• Snow or Ice Storm?• Flood?• Power Outage?• Civil Unrest/Terrorism?

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Different EventsPandemic – Flu etc.General Illness of any kindHurricanesTornadoesSnow or Ice StormFloodPower OutageCivil Unrest/Terrorism

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Leverage your plans!!

• Pandemic Plan = any staff shortage

• Facilities (BC/COOP) Plans = any outage

• IT/Technology Plans = any disruption

• Telework = any need to work at home

• The Unforeseen – use any/all of the above

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Remember: Someone may need you to provide direction!