Key Questions

Is the project on track to satisfy the customer's business objectives?Yes

Is the project on track to achieve the objectives in the approved timeframe?Uncertain

Is the project on track to achieve the objectives within the approved budget?Uncertain

Project Overall Health

Comments

Yellow

The Project Overall Health rating continues Yellow in January 2025 due to the current assessment of eight focus areas. -- Time, Cost, Quality, and Transition continue as Yellow. -- Governance, Scope, Resources, and Risks/Issues continue as Green. • The ACF CB responded to the FFY 2025 APDU submission, “the project remains in a non-CCWIS claiming status”, and will be re-assessed after a virtual project review in May 2025. • The ACF CB sent a letter summarizing their findings and recommendations from their July 2024 Technical Review. • The project schedule was re-baselined in July 2024. As of this period, most product milestones are on track with two reported at risk (Yellow). • System scope includes core product development, infrastructure, interfaces, shared services, data conversion, scenario testing, rework from user feedback and design blueprints. -- SPR 6 approval condition #1a, which required the project to elaborate Version 1 (V1) scope (Epics) into requirements (User Stories) is satisfied as of October 31, 2024. -- V1 reporting and V2 scope must be elaborated by February 28, 2025. • There are not any open high priority risks or issues at this time. • The CWDS Board of Directors approved the recommended Two Systems of Record Approach, Option 2: Less Technical Complex to satisfy CWDA expectations for a V1 Production Pilot.

Focus Area/Rating	Comments
Governance Green	The Governance rating continues Green in January 2025. The scope and character of authority for decision making is documented, with governance bodies meeting regularly. • The last approval document is SPR 6, approved in May 2023, and codified changes to the project’s delivery approach and resources. -- A new holistic design approach was approved on June 10, 2024. -- The project schedule was re-baselined on July 3, 2024. -- The Financial Analysis Worksheets (FAW) were updated in September 2024 to support a FY 2025-26 BCP. Total costs have not changed. • The ACF CB responded to the CDSS Advanced Planning Document Update (APDU) for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2025 on October 21, 2024. The FFY 2025 APDU was resubmitted to the ACF Children’s Bureau on September 16, 2024. The submission is intended to satisfy the FFY 2024 APDU approval conditions. -- The project remains in a non-CCWIS claiming status and will be reassessed after a virtual review is completed in May 2025. • The ACF sent correspondence articulating their findings and recommendations from the July 2024 Technical Assistance (TA) Monitoring Review. -- Although formal response is not needed, the state is encouraged to track evidence, discuss progress in monitoring calls, and document progress in Advance Planning Document (APD) submissions. • Four decisions were made via the Decision-Making Framework. -- DMF 474: Activating contingency approach for FMS – ELT approved on January 6. -- DMF 482: CARES Data Exchange Platform - CARES SFTP v/s SAFE – ELT approved on January 8. -- DMF 486: Document Taxonomy Update and Future Modifications – ELT approved on January 31. -- DMF 487: CARES V1 Pilot Decision – Board of Directors approved Option 2 on January 23. • Key communications for stakeholders continue to be prepared and distributed. -- CARES Explorer – Volume 1, Issue 4 was published in December 2024. -- CARES Compass – Volume 2, Issue 1 published in January 2025. -- ACF Monthly Report on User Engagement & Adoption – January report for December period with key accomplishments and stakeholder metrics. • Per an SPR 6 approval condition, the project is utilizing Earned Value Metrics (EVM) to monitor project health. The Total V1 Scope is measured in Function Point Equivalents (FPE). The FPE value of 88,568 reported in January is consistent with values reported since September 2024.
Time Management Yellow	The Time Management Focus Area rating continues Yellow in January 2025. Performance in achieving the remediated and re-baselined project schedule is reported by the project to be on track. • PaaS SI schedule variance metrics shows the overall project is On Track at 58% (+3% from last month) complete, with 28 (+7) activities Overdue and 26 (-1) activities Behind Schedule. -- IPO notes that as of January 31, 69% of the total state business days planned for V1 work have elapsed. • Master schedule indicates some of the EUST2 activities are behind schedule. -- Hardening cycle 2 includes Rework from user feedback and state-QA activities. -- Preparation includes identification and trial run of testing scenarios, and infrastructure/environment set up, and conducting user training. • Master schedule indicates some of the Holistic Design activities for EUST 3 Milestones are behind schedule, including for Case Mgmt. groups 2 and 3, Courts, Financial Mgmt., and Eligibility. • Current sprint velocity may be insufficient to achieve the SPR 6 approved schedule. -- The user story completion rate for Sprint 25.01 was 63%. The size of the sprint consisted of 423 user stories including those rolled over from the previous Sprint. 137 user stories completed Build and SIT phases, which was 32 more than planned. -- The velocity plan shows significant spikes are expected in the quantity of user stories to be completed beginning in March 2025, which if executed per plan should improve alignment between the PaaS SI work completion percentage and IPO elapsed days schedule performance measures. • As presented in the January Executive Dashboard, all product milestones and interfaces have been mapped to EUST cycles. -- Of the 12 EUST 2 milestones, 10 are SDLC complete (blue), 2 are on track (green). -- Of the 21 EUST 3 milestones, 3 are SDLC complete (blue), 16 are on track (green), 2 are at risk (yellow). -- The 4 V1 Reporting milestones are planned to be tested in a separate EUST Reporting cycle. • As per an SPR approval condition, the Project is using EVM to gauge performance. The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) decreased to 0.975 as of January 15, indicating the project is on schedule with a variance of less than 5% from the target of 1.0 and improving.
Cost & Contract Management Yellow	The Cost & Contract Management rating continues Yellow in January 2025 due to the ACF stating in its response to the FFY 2025 APDU submission, “the project remains in a non-CCWIS claiming status”, and will be re-assessed after a virtual project review in May 2025. • The ACF responded to the FFY 2025 APDU submission on October 21, 2024. -- The ACF conveyed the project remains in a non-CCWIS claiming status, meaning that it is currently not receiving federal funding. The ACF will reassess in May 2025 after a virtual review. • The Total Project Costs approved with SPR 6 are $1,711,011,443 with One-Time Costs of $1,228,909,579, Continuing Costs of $301,567,793, and Future Operations Costs of $180,534,071. -- Current Actual One-Time Expenditures as of January are reported as $417,720,364 – 25% less than the $521,656,741 Cumulative Actual One-Time Budget. -- The January Executive Dashboard Budget Display reports the Current Year Actual Expenditures for FY 2024-25 are $38,849,391, and projected annual expenditures are $180,345,194, which is 14% less than the $210,787,509 planned annual budget. This project clarified the decrease in projected costs is due to finalization of WOAs vs projected costs. • The FY 2024-25 budget included BBL and TBL defining “satisfactory progress” towards product milestones, and “may be augmented up to a maximum of $26,035,000 for project activities related to the implementation and data infrastructure contracts upon approval by the Department of Finance, in consultation with the Department of Technology”. • As per an approval condition, the Project is using EVM to gauge performance. -- The 1.224 CPI reported as of January 15 validates the underspending reported in the PSR. The variance from the target 1.0 continues greater than 10% but is less than the peak CPI of 1.378 in August. • There are currently thirteen contracts utilized in the delivery of the CWS-CARES solution, with three contract amendments in progress. The SPR 6 approved Financial Analysis Worksheets (FAW) were based on renegotiating the primary vendor contracts. -- Contract amendment negotiations for Implementation Services are on hold. -- The renegotiated Platform as a Service (PaaS) System Integrator (SI) contract amendment was executed in September 2023, increasing the total contract value from $63,781,313 to $290,768,079. The total encumbrance is $273,514,765. Current Actual Expenditure is $101,221,177. -- The renegotiated Product Value Services (PVS) contract amendment was executed in September 2023, increasing the total contract value from $26,931,840 to $80,239,017. Current Actual Expenditure is $53,512,783. -- The renegotiated CARES Data Infrastructure (CDI) contract amendment was executed in March 2024, increasing the total contract value from $35,007,305 to $132,338,965. Current Actual Expenditure is $43,547,545. • There are ten procurements are in progress for IT goods and services.
Scope Management Green	The Scope Management rating continues as Green in January 2025. • The January 2025 QPR for October-December 2024 reports that 55 (~22%) of the 966 total V1 Epics are Done, which is 3.67% greater than reported in the previous Quarter. -- The CDT expects the total number of epics and user stories will continue to fluctuate as V1 SDLC and user feedback activities progress. • The project continues development on functional blueprints as part of the Holistic Design approach for EUST3 milestones. -- As of January, of 1150 total, 210 blueprints are done with 940 in progress. -- IPO trend analysis indicates the backlog of blueprints grows on average 22% monthly, with an average of 19% of total blueprints completed monthly. The growth is anticipated to stabilize as design cycles are completed. -- Courts Processing (Milestones 16, 17, 18) – 170 blueprints in progress. -- Eligibility (Milestones 19, 20, 20.1, 21) – 29 blueprints in progress. -- Financial Management (Milestones 23, 23.1, 23.2, 24) – 66 blueprints in progress. -- Finish a Case (Milestones 10, 10.1, 11, 13) – 334 blueprints in progress. -- Ongoing Case Work (Milestones 6.1, 7, 7.1, 9) – 188 blueprints in progress. -- RFA (Milestones 26, 26.1, 27, 28) – 142 blueprints in progress. • There are currently 778 rework user stories across 27 Spinoff building blocks in progress. • All previously developed user interface component are undergoing a ‘reskinning’ effort using the Salesforce Lightning Web Component Framework. -- PaaS SI has communicated on November 13, 2024, that all user interface screens for EUST2 milestones are complete. • Analysis of external systems was completed in October 2024. -- Of the total 1214 external systems, 410 are in scope for V1, and 142 are partially in scope for V1. The project is currently collaborating with counties to identify discrepancies.
Resources Green	The Resources rating remains Green in January 2025. • The approved FY 2024-25 project budget allocates 123 positions. • The project’s overall position vacancy percentage increased to 11% with 13 vacancies; near the Project’s goal of 10%. • Total Vendor resources increased to 498 staff, including: -- PaaS SI – 259 (-6 from last month) -- CDI – 120 (no change) -- PVS – 50 (-8) -- Implementation – 58 (+13) -- QA/Testing – 11 (no change) • State and Vendor Resources have the tools and time necessary to complete tasks as assigned; and demonstrate a detailed-level of understanding to fulfill their assigned roles.
Quality Yellow	The Quality rating continues as Yellow in January 2025. • In the December 2024 scope update, there are 809 ‘rework’ user stories which are tagged to EUST 2 Milestone Spinoff Building Blocks. -- IPO analysis shows that as of January 31, there are 586 Rework user stories in progress. • January Executive Dashboard conveys the State QA is nearing completion with 339 of 398 business requirements being tested to support EUST 2. • RI-279 was closed in recognition of a dedicated project manager assigned to the EUST workstream. The risk was based on IPO observation, to address the lack of a detailed plan to harden, scenario test, and validate V1 scope prior to Go-Live. -- The remediated schedule includes an additional EUST 4 cycle and time to test and validate product and interface milestones to support V1 Go-Live in October 2026. • As of January, a total of 3,104 (+62 from last month) have been opened in System Integration Test (SIT) and 1,888 (+161) bugs in QA. -- There are a total of 264 (+51 from last month) Open Bugs with 5 critical, 40 high, 203 medium, and 16 low. -- 11 open bugs are Fixed, in Joint Review. -- 188 (+42) open bugs are Development Fixes (aka Build Defects). • The project continues to monitor and prioritize Technical Debt for V1 with 8 issues documented sized at 36 story points.
Risk And Issues Green	The Risks and Issues rating remains Green in January 2025. The administration and management of risks and issues is mature with all items recorded and updated in the Risk-Issue Jira Backlog. • There are a total of 19 open project-level risks and issues being tracked by the CWS-CARES team, with 0 High priority risks or issues open. • Count of active Issues and Risks: -- 11 issues: 0 High, 10 Medium, 1 Low -- 8 risks: 0 High, 3 Medium, 5 Low
Transition Readiness Yellow	The Transition Readiness rating continues as Yellow in January 2025. • The CWDS Board of Directors unanimously approved decision (DMF 487) to move forward with the recommended Two Systems of Record Approach, Option 2: Less Technically Complex, to satisfy CWDA expectations for a V1 Production Pilot. -- Refinement of the final estimated costs, scope, and schedule for the Pilot is in progress. • All Go-Live implementation readiness tasks with counties are on track. -- Master Implementation Plan – 50% complete; V12 began November 2024. -- Rollout Contingency Plan – 100% complete; Due June 30, 2025. -- Pilot Plan – 0% complete; dependent on Board direction (see Pilot status above). -- Sandbox Strategy – 85% complete; finalizing level of effort and costs. -- Training Plan Iteration 3 – 17%; began December 2024 • Training Materials Development for EUST 2 are due 2/24/25. Master schedule indicates some activities are behind schedule. -- Milestone 3 Screening 65% -- Milestone 4 Investigations Engagement 65% -- Milestone 5 Investigations Determination 65% -- Milestone 6 Case Management Engagement 25% -- Milestone 8 Placement 15% -- Milestone 15 Court Hearing Framework 10% -- Milestone 19 Request Determination 10% -- Milestone 20 Redetermine Eligibility 5% • RFA Application Production Operations. There is a total of 144 (no change) RFA user accounts, of which 125 are Active, and 19 Pending Registration. -- Beginning in February 2024, only Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara are using the RFA Application process. -- 420 (-14 from prior month) Cumulative Total Applications received, and 760 (+31) Total Applications Adjudicated.
Conditions For Approval Green	The SPR 6 Approval Letter stipulates the project must adhere to the following conditions (abridged language below): 1. Complete an elaboration of the Product Backlog to further clarify program needs and establish the inventory of functions and features required to complete the project. -- a) Satisfied – V1 product scope (Epics) must be elaborated into requirements (Stories) not later than October 31, 2024. As per CDT request, the project is also providing: 1. Tabular data that demonstrates completion progress and adjustments in total stories by milestone in future Project Status Report (PSR) and Quarterly Project Report (QPR) submissions to the CDT, commencing with the PSR due in December 2024. 2. The PSR and QPR reports include tabular data specifically on the details and progress of the "Rework" milestone stories to include identification of the original source milestone (e.g., 157 Rework milestone stories are sourced from "Milestone 03: Screening"). -- b) In Progress – V1 reporting and V2 Epics must be elaborated into Stories not later than February 28, 2025. 2. Conduct annual Development Progress Demonstration for stakeholders and CDT during the first quarter of each Calendar year. -- Satisfied. The annual demonstration was held on April 4, 2024. 3. Commence Earned Value Management (EVM) reporting in the monthly Project Status Reports (PSR) and Quarterly Project Reports (QPR) submissions beginning in October 2023. -- Satisfied. The Project began reporting EVM in October 2023. The Project continues to refine the approach and calculations using Function Point Equivalents. 4. Provide a Board of Directors-approved V1 Pilot Plan to the CDT upon completion of the SPR 6 Major Milestone in September 2023. -- Satisfied. The Project Director obtained Board of Directors approval on September 28, 2023, for the initial Pilot Plan version to satisfy the CDT SPR 6 approval condition. -- Board approval is conditional stipulating that all future iterations be brought back for Board approval. 5. The Independent Advisor (IA) consultant must assess the efficacy of the project’s constituent engagement, communications, and adoption model and provide a report that includes improvement recommendations to project leadership, the CalHHS and the CDT not later than March 31, 2024. -- Satisfied. Per IPO request, the findings and recommendations were presented to executive stakeholders on June 3, 2024. 6. Provide an updated Vendor Management Plan that includes a revised Work Order Authorization (WOA) process that aligns with the PaaS SI and PVS vendor contract amendments described in SPR 6 before the amendments are executed. -- Satisfied. The CDT IPO team reviewed the new WOA Management Plan with updated WOA templates in August 2023. -- Per IPO request, the WOA Management Plan was updated in October 2023 to include recurring activities, deliverables, and org readiness details for Implementation WOAs. 7. The CWS-CARES project must submit a new SPR if one or more of the following occurs: a) Estimated One-Time Cost increases by $15 million. b) Estimated Project End Date extends by three months. c) Product scope or requirements vary by 10 percent. d) Service Delivery Lifecycle (SDLC) undergoes major changes, as determined by the CDT. -- Condition has not been triggered
Corrective Action Green	Not currently applicable

• Special Project Report 6 (pdf)
• Special Project Report 5 (pdf)
• Special Project Report 4 (pdf)
• Special Project Report 3 (pdf)
• Special Project Report 2 (pdf)
• Special Project Report 1 (pdf)