U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program Executive Summary eLearning Business Case August...

U.S. Department of Agriculture

eGovernment Program

eGovernment ProgramExecutive Summary

eLearning Business Case

April 19, 2023

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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program

Business Case Team Roster

Background and Context

Business Requirements and eLearning Benefits

Alternatives Analyzed

Recommendation: Contract out the eLearning Solution

Timeline & Milestones

Summary of Costs & Benefits

Next Steps

Agenda

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Business Case Team Roster

The following people assisted in the development of this business case:Rosemary Mayne GIPSAPat Micielli FSRoger Montague NRCSKaren Murray HRMEd Oliver APHISClaudette Parm DABessy Plaza FSAMarianne Plumb ARSLinda Raudenbush NASSDavid Reiners FSISMarty Ross FSRick Schuchardt NASSJ effrey Shen OHRMPaul Silverio APHISMary Stevenson FSISDon Stonecypher RMACassandra Taylor NRCSOwen Unangst NRCSJ ames Wadsworth RBSGordie Walker NRCSKeith Ware ARSKirk Webber ARSGerry Wenham RDFrank Wesolowski FSAJ ackie Wilkes FASDonna Williams ARSRobert Williams ERSMike Wood FS

Keith Namock Team Lead - FSSuzanne Beavers RDJ erry Bernard NRCSSherell Brooks ARSAnita Byrd NRCSPaul Clemens FSGreg Crosby CSREESJ ames Czaban RDNichelle Daniels RBSClaudine Deslauriers FNSJ o Farrell RDJ erry Fernandez AMSJ ody Firmani RMACraig Flynn NASSRay Frances APHISSharon Ginley FSAncil Green RHSDoris Greiner RDAngela Hall RDCarol Harvey FASJ oe Hoffman FSATina Hudson FSAAnn J enkins NRCSChris Ketner RHSMonika Kruger RDJ ohn Lund APHISSylvia Magbanua NASSJ ean Mahoney Civil Rights

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For the past 90 days, cross-Agency teams have been working to define the eLearning business case.

The business case includes all sections required by the CPIC process

The process the teams followed to complete the business case is as follows:

Form cross-

Agency teams

Definebusiness

requirements

Finalizebusiness

requirementsfrom all

Agencies

Review,modify, anddeliver finalbusiness

case

Review anditerate

businessrequirements

Completeremainingbusiness

casedocuments

1. Met with Agencykey contactsand receivednames ofparticipants.

2. Facilitated breakoutsessions withfunctional teams todefine Agencybusinessrequirements.

3. After vetting withteams and withother Agencystaff, therequirementswere completed.

4. Driven by businessrequirements,teams completedremainingdocuments.(included demos,visiting SME’s, understanding bestpractices and surveys)

5. Business caseready for formalreview

Completeoverall

technologyapproach

Our Approach

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Our Approach

The following are the major sections of the business case:

Overview• Introduction• Executive Summary• Concept of Operations

Business Profile• Performance Measures• Functional Requirements

Risk Profile• Risk Management Plan• Early Adopters Plan

Financial Profile • Cost Benefit and Alternatives Analysis

Technological Profile • Technical Requirements• Security Plan• Telecommunications Plan• Analysis of Existing Systems• Technical Architecture Plan

Management and Planning Profile• Project Plan • Acquisition Plan

These documents are now posted on the USDA eGovernment website.

http://www.egov.usda.gov/resources/teamspace/enablers/selectbc.html

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What is a Learning Management System?

An LMS allows individuals and groups of users to:

• Manage classrooms, learning assets, instructors, schedules, learning paths, and all of the necessary components to deliver training;

• View complete course listings and course information;

• Register, schedule, and track training sessions;

• Create, edit, manage and deliver content;

• Track competency and certification progress;

• Personalize training and development plans; and

• Manage payments.

A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application that enables the delivery and management of all facets of training.

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Learning Management Lifecycle

• Plan, assemble, & develop courses

• Define & customize curriculums

• Personalize through skill assessments

• Enroll and administer online

• Provide online course catalogs

• Automate payments

• Schedule sessions & logistics

• Support all delivery forms

•Web-based•Live web

conferencing•Classroom•CD-ROM

• Track events, completion, skills profiles

• Certify completion

• Certify compliance

• Measure usage

• Evaluate training

• Integrate with business apps (ERP, HR, Financial)

• Tie to business results and performance measures

Plan Register Deliver Certify Measure

A learning management solution provides support in every phase of the learning management life cycle, transforming learning from an event to a continuous process

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Current Learning Management Environment

Several Agencies are using an LMS on a limited basis. Cross-agency resource sharing is not part of the current environment…

Agencies are already using an abundance of eLearning courses.

Agencies are only sharing purchased training on a limited basis.• Limited economies of scale purchasing; and

• Limited shared resources for incremental improvements.

Staff dedicated to training and defining curriculum already exist in most Agencies.

Few Agencies maintain a computer-based learning management system.

• Few Agency offers the full functionality of leading eLearning solutions.

Paper is now used for most learning management processes.

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Current Learning Management Environment

Agencies use three online systems, following are highlights of those systems… Internet Combined Administrative Management System (I-CAMS)

• Web-based integrated human resources information system in use by the county based Agencies, FSA, NRCS, RD and AMS that allows employees to access employment information, career plans, training requests, and history.

• Provides the ability to process personnel actions, manages and tracks learning, provides automatic workflow, creates automatic reminders, and enables online evaluation for non-catalog training.

mGen

• “Off the shelf” third-party learning management system used by APHIS, OC, RMA, and RD with course content available from Learn2, SmartForce, NETg, and ElementK.

• Provides built-in content management system, content authoring tools, assessment tools for quizzes and exams, skills gap analysis.

Training Integrated Personnel System (TIPS) /Virtual Training Assistant (VTA)

• TIPS system, utilized by the Forest Service, allows students to evaluate themselves against competencies while completing their Individual Development Plan.

• Included in the Forest Service’s system is an off-the-shelf learning management system called Virtual Training Assistant (VTA) that has administration, training delivery, and evaluation tools; The Food Safety and Inspection Service uses the VTA system without TIPS, but they are only using it for tracking purposes, not its full learning management capabilities.

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Business Requirements

A world-class enterprise solution will be established with these capabilities: Multiple online delivery platforms, such as web, video, audio, and videoconferencing,

to augment or replace classroom-based training. Some face to face training classes will always need to remain in use since they maximize interactions.

• Robust suite of collaborative tools to allow learners to work with one another to better solve real-world problems and simulate conversation in real situations.

Online administration of curriculum by trainers, such as automatically adding and removing courses to an online course catalog.

Individualized training capabilities and online registration allowing employees to structure curriculums based on training needs and self-register for the courses online.

HR systems are automatically updated with an employee’s training; Department financial systems are automatically updated based on activity in the LMS.

Common content management capability to easily update and customize course content.

• Provide access to expertise and support for developing courses and modules to help the users learn

Partnering with other Government Agencies to maximize new contracting mechanisms.

Full integration with the Presidential Initiative, eTraining, and www.golearn.gov.

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Enterprise-Wide eLearning Benefits

An Enterprise-wide eLearning solution will reap financial benefits while at the same time increase the quality and access of training at USDA.

Strategic Benefits• Enhance the skill development of USDA employees by providing access to a wide array of training not previously

available; and

• Coordinate management, and promote interagency collaboration, of Federal eLearning services.

• Utilize common soft skill content from Presidential eTraining initiative.

Financial Benefits• Eliminate redundancies among training offered within the enterprise;

• Allow for economies of scale in the enterprise-wide purchase of eLearning products and services; and

• Reduce travel expenses, training delivery costs, and training administration costs.

Operational Benefits• Transform the learning experience to include more online courses, in lieu of costly traditional training methods;

• Link the competencies to courseware and individual development plans to reach other government agencies and tie them to their Agency strategic plans;

• Encourage agencies without eLearning strategies to adopt this capability as the basis for their eLearning products and services; and

• Agency trainers will be able to devote their time to what they do best--training--rather than administration of IT systems.

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Enterprise-Wide eLearning Solution Intangible Benefits

An Enterprise-wide solution will also provide many intangible benefits…

Improving training effectiveness, resulting in a better-educated and more knowledgeable workforce characterized by improved judgment and decision-making;

Enabling a single, web-based access point for class registration and the training catalog eases administration processes associated with training provided by outside partner institutions;

Allowing employees access to training content, class registration, and course catalogs from any location at any time using a web browser;

Automating administrative tasks, which allows administrators to focus on value added functions like course preparation, course review, and performance review.

Enabling on-line help and support menus result in fewer training related support inquiries and reduce the amount of time employees spend waiting for responses on common questions;

Allowing instantaneous, on-line student feedback for replacement of courses receiving low user effectiveness ratings enabling administrators to eliminate and replace ineffective courses; and

Gathering aggregate, enterprise-wide training data to increase the ability of executives to track and report learning progress from a consolidated, Department-wide perspective.

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Alternatives Analyzed

Three implementation alternatives were considered. Allowing each Agency to build its own eLearning solution – “Status Quo”

• Grants the most flexibility and alleviates the need to work through culture barriers; and

• Does not allow the enterprise to leverage training across all Agencies or take advantage of economies of scale pricing.

• Consistency across training and skills will not be achieved.

Leveraging an existing learning system within USDA to create an Enterprise-wide eLearning solution

• Utilizes investments in existing systems to decrease costs and system training needs;

• Requires capital outlay for new hardware and software; and

• Requires implementation time and customization for individual Agencies.

Contract out the eLearning solution - Recommended• Leverages all soft skill content from GoLearn.gov;

• Provides the same benefits as leveraging an existing system plus decreased implementation time and reduced need for skilled Agency resources;

• Requires vendor management to ensure compliance by vendor;

• USDA can concentrate on the business of training versus managing a large IT infrastructure; and

• Economies of scale can be leveraged to purchase excellent training that is “standardized” across the Enterprise.

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Recommendation: Contact Out the eLearning Solution

Solution can be implemented and running with early adopters in a matter of months vs. years with building a solution.

USDA can concentrate on the business of training versus managing a large IT infrastructure.

Economies of scale can be leveraged to purchase excellent training that is “standardized” across the Enterprise.

Manual training administration processes will be replaced by a robust toolset available to employees, trainers, and administrators enabling them to refocus their efforts on delivering training.

Employees will have access to an unprecedented amount of training, with a greater emphasis on online learning, as opposed to traditional classroom-based courses.

• An Agency’s training curriculum make the Enterprise-wide catalog much more valuable

• All training will follow current 508, AICC, and SCORM standards.

This eLearning solution provides self-paced and collaborative learning experiences designed to promote comprehension and retention across the Enterprise…

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Timeline and Milestones

Enterprise-wide adoption of an outsourced eLearning solution will proceed based on a schedule the makes functionality available gradually over three releases.

Milestone Description Schedule1 Pre-Implementation Tasks – Tasks that must be performed prior to

implementation. These initial tasks include the vendor analysis and selection process as well as creating and configuring the technology infrastructure and the physical network required for implementation.

Q2 FY03 – Q2 FY03

2 Early Adopter Implementation – A full online implementation of eLearning services for early adopter Agencies, including project planning, design, deployment, content conversion, and training activities. This functionality available in this implementation is called Release 1.

Before this full release is ready, a baseline LMS with no configuration or content conversion will be made available for general early adopter use during Q3 of FY2003.

Q2 FY03 – Q1 FY04

3 Enterprise-wide Implementation – Similar set of tasks as the Early Adopter Implementation and with the same Release 1 functionality. During this time, remaining USDA Agencies will receive a full online implementation of eLearning services.

Q1 FY04 – Q1 FY05

4 Additional Functionality Releases – Additional functionality for the eLearning solution. After refining application requirements during the previous year, additional functionality will be added to the system. These additional functionality releases are called Release 2 and Release 3 and will be implemented for Agency use during FY05 and FY06 respectively.

Q4 FY04 – Q4 FY05Q4 FY05 – Q4 FY06

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Timeline and Milestones

Enterprise-wide adoption of an eLearning solution will proceed by phases and require oversight management. Task

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Overall Project TasksProject Management

Pre-implementation TasksSelect Learning Delivery Options and Vendor

Release 1 Functionality - Early Adopter ImplementationDesign Training Approval/Tracking Processes

Implement Baseline LMS for Generic Use

Convert/Load Existing Content into Solution

Test LMS

Deploy LMS to Early Adopters

Release 1 Functionality - Enterprise-Wide ImplementationRefine Training Processes and Review Additional Needs

Perform Content Conversion and Integration Tasks

Test LMS Release

Deploy LMS to All Agencies

Release 2 Functionality ImplementationRefine Training Processes and Review Additional Needs


Test LMS Release

Deploy New LMS functionality

Release 3 Functionality ImplementationRefine Training Processes and Review Additional Needs


Test LMS Release

Deploy New LMS functionality

FY2007FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006

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Proposed Early Adopters

A request was sent to all of the Agencies to determine Agencies interested in participating as an early adopter of the eLearning solution.

The following Agencies are interested in being early adopters of the outsourced eLearning solution:

• APHIS;

• ARS;

• DA;

• FSA;

• FSIS;

• NASS;

• NRCS;

• OCIO;

• OHRM; and

• RD.

All Agencies will be requested to begin using GoLearn.gov for any content that is currently available through Government-wide contracts…

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Summary of Costs and Benefits

An enterprise-wide eLearning program offers several quantitative benefits and a 131% ROI.

Benefits accrue from: Reduced travel expenses Reduced training delivery costs Reduced training administration costs Economies of scale purchasing Consolidation of business processes

* Assumptions are documented in the business case document

Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Annual Benefits (AB) $2,548,388 $12,709,250 $15,572,100 $16,829,950 $16,829,950 Annual Costs (AC) $3,660,481 $6,328,978 $5,888,978 $5,888,978 $5,888,978 Discount Factor (DF) 1.0000 0.9728 0.9463 0.9205 0.8954 Discounted Benefit (DB) ABxDF $2,548,388 $12,363,084 $14,735,367 $15,491,857 $15,069,900 Discounted Cost (DC) ACxDF $3,660,481 $6,156,593 $5,572,546 $5,420,765 $5,273,117 Discounted Net (DN) DB-DC $(1,112,093) $6,206,491 $9,162,821 $10,071,092 $9,796,783 Discount Rate 2.80% Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) DB/DC 2.31 Net Present Value $34,125,093 Payback Period 1 IRR 617% Modified IRR 48% ROI 131%

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Lifecycle Costs

Under this arrangement, the provider assumes all costs with a yearly fee charged to the purchaser for the lifecycle of the arrangement.

Services are typically purchased on a per employee per year basis, depending on the level of service purchased. Arrangements near the upper end of the range generally outsource all training functions.

Other costs of the arrangement are internal project management and oversight, process change management.

Access to Content Development services will be available to Agencies.

* Assumes only 6 months of services in FY 2003

Estimated Lifecycle Costs (in FY 2003 constant dollars) Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Contracting Cost $2,250,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000 Project Management/Oversight Cost $265,491 $353,988 $353,988 $353,988 $353,988 Process Change Management Cost $330,000 $660,000 $220,000 $220,000 $220,000 Risk Cost $814,990 $814,990 $814,990 $814,990 $814,990 Total Costs $3,660,481 $6,328,978 $5,888,978 $5,888,978 $5,888,978

Contracting Cost (in FY 2003 constant dollars) Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Contracting Costs Per Employee $22.50 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 Number of Employees 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 Total Contracting Cost $2,250,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000 $4,500,000

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Lifecycle Benefits

Measurable financial benefits include the following: Cost savings from reduced travel expense; Cost savings from reduced training delivery costs; and Cost savings from reduced training administration costs.

Estimate of Tangible Benefits Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Reduced Training Trips Cost Savings $1,292,000 $5,168,000 $6,460,000 $6,460,000 $6,460,000 Reduced Training Delivery Cost Savings $313,000 $1,252,000 $1,565,000 $1,565,000 $1,565,000 Reduced Training Administration Cost Savings $943,388 $6,289,250 $7,547,100 $8,804,950 $8,804,950 Total Cost Savings $2,548,388 $12,709,250 $15,572,100 $16,829,950 $16,829,950

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Benefit: Reduced Training Trips Cost Savings

Calculation of cost savings from reduced travel expense utilizes the following information from USDA Agency surveys:

Average training trips for an employee take 4.4 days and cost approximately $140 per day for transportation, lodging, and per diem. This equates to an average expense of $646 per employee.

Travel-related expenses account for more than 20% of training expenditures at USDA and indicated a low estimate average of 20,000 training related trips per year.

Savings estimates of the number of training trips avoided is determined by multiplying the total number of training trips by percent reduced detailed each year in the table below.

Calculation of reduced travel expense is determined by multiplying the number of training trips avoided by the cost per trip.

Reduced Training Trips Cost Savings (in FY 2003 dollars) Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Number of training trips 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000

Percent Reduced 10% 40% 50% 50% 50%

Cost Per Trip $646 $646 $646 $646 $646

Training Trips Avoided 2,000 8,000 10,000 10,000 10,000

Reduced Training Trips Cost Savings $1,292,000 $5,168,000 $6,460,000 $6,460,000 $6,460,000

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Benefit: Reduced Training Delivery Cost Savings

Calculation of cost savings from reduced training delivery costs utilizes the following information from USDA Agency Surveys:

Over 20% of USDA employees take a class that can be shortened by eLearning; The average number of students per class is ten; Learning Voyage, a classroom-training vendor, indicates that this cost is

approximately $313 per class per day. This is slightly below the average cost of $400 indicated from our USDA survey and the OPM survey, but the lower figure was used to give a more conservative estimate;

Reduction in training days is determined by multiplying total number of classroom days per year by reduction in classroom time; and

Reduced Training Delivery Cost Savings are calculated by multiplying reduction in training days by the cost per day of in-class training.

Reduced Training Delivery Cost Savings (in FY 2003 dollars) Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Total Number of Classroom Days Per Year 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000

Reduction in Classroom Time (%) 10% 40% 50% 50% 50%

Reduction in Training Days 1,000 4,000 5,000 5,000 5,000

Cost Per Course (not incl. transportation) $313 $313 $313 $313 $313

Reduced Training Delivery Cost Savings $313,000 $1,252,000 $1,565,000 $1,565,000 $1,565,000

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Benefit: Reduced Training Administration Cost Savings

Training administration costs are calculated using the following information: Eleven hours per employee per year are spent on training-related

administration; Full benefits are realized by year three; and Since the average cost rate of USDA training administration

employees is not available, this projection assumes the cost rate for USDA administration personnel is equal to that of an average government employee.

Reduced Training Administration Cost Savings Description of Factor FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 Number of USDA employees 25,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 Training Administration Hours Spent Per Employee 11 11 11 11 11 % Avoided with Outsourcing 15% 25% 30% 35% 35% Total Training Related Administration Hours Reduced 41,250 275,000 330,000 385,000 385,000 Cost Per Hour of Administration Time $23 $23 $23 $23 $23 Training Administration Cost Savings $943,388 $6,289,250 $7,547,100 $8,804,950 $8,804,950

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Next Steps

The Next Steps to begin the eLearning initiative are: USDA Funding and Sponsorship

• Secure executive and project sponsorship for the eLearning initiative; and

• Secure initial USDA funding for eLearning project.

OMB Approval• Incorporate review comments into eLearning business case; and

• Secure approval for eLearning initiative from OMB.

Project Establishment and Kick Off • Create team to support eLearning initiative; and

• Incorporate support functions into the Enterprise Solution Center.

Start Pre-Implementation Tasks • Refine application requirements;

• Develop Request for Proposal; and

• Conduct vendor analysis and select vendor.

U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program Executive Summary eLearning Business Case August...

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