Business Continuity Work Group Initiatives and Accomplishments

2007-2008

Note Related to Projected 2007-2008 Initaitives:

Italics indicates initiatives added at the July 13, 2007 Forum Planning Session
Numbers in parenthesis indicate votes cast for the initiative at the July 13, 2007 Forum Planning Session.

The objective of the Business Continuity committee is to work in collaboration with state and local agencies and representatives of the IT Corporate Roundtable to develop education and training opportunities and tools that address business continuance planning needs of New York's state and local government entities.

2006-2007 Accomplishments

  • Continued to expand e-mail based contact list of individuals within New York State, Local Government, County Government, and Educational Institutions who have a responsibility related to Emergency Planning, Business Continuity or Disaster Recovery.
  • Conducted multiple presentations at committee meetings on what a comprehensive emergency plan should contain, how to establish a program, how to conduct a business impact analysis (etc.) and how to maintain and test it.
  • Continued to encourage the identification of a high-level NYS official to be charged with statewide BCP responsibility.
  • Developed the proposed content for a half day Business Continuity conference with the New York City Department of Information Technology to cosponsor for New York City agencies.
  • Reconstituted the online BC Health Check which is a hosted system with a comprehensive questionnaire designed for an agency contact to complete to gauge their preparedness for an emergency or disaster and view recommended actions to take.
  • Facilitated a presentation to State agency committee members on procurement options for Emergency Planning consulting services.
  • Conducted initial meetings related to The Forum's Executive Committee action to combine Business Continuity as a major component of the annual Security Conference.

2007-2008 Projected Initiatives

  • Carry out the NYS Forum Executive Board's action item to add a BC track to the Annual Cyber Security Conference.
  • Investigate the level of effort to develop a "How To" guide on producing Business Continuity Plans for government entities, including templates and guidance on how to use them (2)
  • Evaluate additional procurement options for State Agencies to acquire Emergency Planning consulting services.
  • Provide resource material, informational sessions, hands-on workshops on emergency planning.
  • Conduct a workshop on gaining Executive Sponsorship (support) for a BCP program at the agency level (6)
  • Facilitate local Training opportunities for business continuity (1)
  • Facilitate networking opportunities with business continuity planners to share experiences and knowledge.
  • Evaluate the options for potential recovery locations for IT operations, office space and telecommunications capacities to use in an emergency (5)
  • Develop and offer an educational forum on Emergency Planning/Business Continuity for agency executives.
  • Continue to work to establish a higher level of accountability to ensure State agencies dedicate resources to develop sustained emergency planning programs.
  • Develop a partnership with NYS SEMO and NYS OHS to improve information exchange and knowledge sharing among agencies that are not part of the Disaster Preparedness Commission.
  • Continue to identify the best value that we can deliver to agencies.
  • Continue to work toward establishing an owner for business continuity at the NYS Executive level to ensure a higher level of accountability among agencies in emergency preparedness (20)
  • Develop a working relationship among NYS agencies (SEMO, OHS, CIO, BCP Committee) to clarify roles and responsibilities and further sharing of information
  • Identify and share procurement options for emergency management across state/local agencies