Some Examples of Customer Results:
1. Department of Energy Enterprise Program Management
2. Department of Energy I-Manage Consolidation
3. Small Business Administration Business Gateway
4. Small Business Administration Strategic Planning
5. Department of Veterans Affairs Enterprise Architecture
6. Department of Veterans Affairs/Veterans Health Administration Consolidations

Corporate Experience: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Enterprise Program Management Office

M Squared Strategies, Inc. provides trusted advisor services to the DOE Chief Information Office (CIO). M Squared assists the CIO in creating cost efficiencies, reducing duplication and managing change for the DOE infrastructure. M Squared develops business cases, cost benefit analyses, risk mitigation strategies and security plans to provide the CIO with the strategies and information to implement change within the department.

M Squared Strategies established a program management office (PMO) at the DOE client site staffed with experienced business consultants who utilize market research and existing DOE data to develop business process improvement strategies for achieving the most efficient consolidation opportunities for DOE's infrastructure. The M Squared PMO reports day to day program and performance information to the Associate CIO for Operations at DOE. M Squared also facilitates management and consolidation meetings that bring together senior DOE business line managers to discuss the results of the M Squared service line analysis. These meetings allow DOE business managers to establish terms of agreement on the most effective consolidation opportunities identified through analysis of alternatives for DOE infrastructure asset configuration.

As a result of the M Squared efforts for the DOE OCIO, DOE has an enterprise governance strategy in place to manage decisions regarding enterprise portfolio management of IT infrastructure investments. Charters have been established clearly defining DOE business line management roles and responsibilities. For the first time, DOE infrastructure data has been collected and analyzed to give the DOE business managers real data to support various degrees of enterprise consolidation for their IT investments.

Corporate Experience: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - I-MANAGE Program Management Office

The Department of Energy's I-MANAGE program or Integrated Management Navigation System is a Departmental effort to define and provide a modern, integrated corporate business system for the Department of Energy. The Project Portfolio is comprised of enterprise-wide systems initiatives to include: the Standard Accounting and Reporting System, Data Warehouse, Standard Budget System, Strategic Integrated Procurement Enterprise System, Corporate Human Resource Information System, and the eContent Management System.

M Squared Strategies consultants are serving as members of the I-MANAGE Program Management Office (PMO). Tasks and activities have included, business case development, OMB 300 budget document preparation, business case briefings to Department CIO and CFO, acquisition planning, and risk management planning. Additional task are being added to the M Squared Strategies team as the program grows and develops.

The I-MANAGE business case development and subsequent OMB Exhibit 300 preparation was the first ever consolidation of the various business systems mentioned above into a consolidated investment. The document has successfully progressed through executive briefings as well as DOE OCIO scorings. Our consultants continue to provide assistance and guidance to the OMB Exhibit 300 effort as the budget process continues through the remainder of 2005.

Additionally, our consultants are assisting the I-MANAGE program with the development of an acquisition plan. This effort has consisted of a detailed analysis of alternatives conducted on all viable acquisition options. After a presentation of our findings to program leadership, acquisition activities have begun.

Also, our consultants, together with the broader I-MANAGE Program Management Office, are developing a customized Risk Management Plan and Process for the program. Using industry best practices and Project Management Institute standards (PMBOK), risk management will be implemented across the I-MANAGE program. M Squared Strategies consultants have played a key role in drafting the plan, developing the process, and reviewing potential risk management tools.

Finally, as the I-MANAGE program matures, our consultants will be tasked with additional duties. For example, our consultants recently conducted a gap analysis on two potential portal alternatives under consideration for use by the program. This study continues as our consultants search for more ways to assist and improve the I-MANAGE program.

Corporate Experience: Small Business Administration (SBA) - Business Gateway Data Harmonization and Compliance Assistance

The SBA OCIO is in the process of planning its needs and use of information technology (IT) investment management (IM) practices and materials that direct ITIM governance at the SBA. This planning and execution exercise involves the preparation and management of key ITIM governance processes and documents.

The SBA is the managing partner of the Business Gateway, one the President's 25 E-Government initiatives. The Business Gateway will provide the Nation's businesses with a single, internet-based access point to government services and information to help businesses with their operations. The Business Gateway has a two pronged mission:

• Save American businesses time and money by providing web-based ways to more easily find, understand, and comply with laws and regulations.
• Realize government agency administrative efficiencies and compliance with the President's Management Agenda (PMA), Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), Small Business Paperwork Relief Act (SBPRA), Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Clinger-Cohen Act, and Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA).

M Squared Strategies supports the office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in the analysis, development, production and administration of key SBA ITIM processes and documents. M Squared also assists the OCIO in the facilitation, research, analysis and support in developing strategies for the Data Harmonization and Compliance Assistance projects within the Business Gateway.

• Data harmonization. "Data harmonization" refers to the goal of streamlining and automating reporting processes so that data businesses provide electronically can be shared across agencies (federal, state, and local), thereby reducing the reporting burden on businesses.
• Compliance assistance. The Business Gateway aims to help businesses comply with laws and regulations by providing easy, online access to relevant information, guidance, and compliance assistance "tools." "Tools" refer to interactive questions designed to help businesses determine which laws and regulations apply to them, whether they are in compliance, and if they are incompliant, how to achieve compliance.

As a result of M Squared Strategies' efforts, the SBA will be in a position to comply with the IT capital planning and investment control requirements described in OMB Circulars A-11, A-94 and A-130, along with legislation governing Federal IT investment management practices, i.e., Clinger/Cohen Act (Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1995).

Corporate Experience: Small Business Administration (SBA) - Strategic Planning

M Squared was tasked to assist in the strategic planning process for the SBA. The goals included aligning the IT strategic plan with the OMB and SBA goals; with the enterprise architecture plan; and with the E-Government plan. The goals also included a review and recommendation for the IT Workforce within SBA. M Squared was tasked with ensuring that the overall IT plan was an "umbrella" for all the initiatives, plans and strategies within the IT organization (i.e., total alignment). M Squared was also tasked with a review and of several business cases.

M Squared provided experienced business consultants to the team. M Squared met with the team leaders for the task and quickly came up to speed on the SBA Strategic Plan, goals and objectives. M Squared utilized market research and SBA data to take the leadership role for the development of the E-Government and IT Workforce sections of the IT Strategic Plan.

The team utilized matrix management techniques, scoring algorithms and constant communication to develop a portfolio of prioritized investments for the SBA CIO. This portfolio was utilized to develop milestones and goals for the body of the strategic plan. M Squared provided the review process to ensure the plan was clearly aligned with the Federal and SBA Enterprise Architecture. M Squared also ensured that the IT plan was a guiding plan for all the business cases and investments within the SBA IT portfolio.

M Squared utilized OMB scoring criteria to develop a scoring template to review the SBA business cases. Scoring criteria included the Federal Enterprise Architecture and agency architecture compliance, the security and Federal Information Security Management Act compliance, alignment with E-Government strategies, and alignment with the SBA goals and IT portfolio. The review also provided management with opportunities for consolidation across the proposed investments or reduction in cost opportunities where business cases were creating redundant systems. The process included a review with suggestions for improvement. Constant communications with the CIO team was maintained to ensure alignment with the overall goals and objectives as well as adherence to the budget guidelines.

As a result the strategic plan was approved and SBA was clearly prepared for their OMB budget review process. Key criteria such as finance and security issues that the SBA leadership had identified were clearly spelled out within the plan. The SBA Strategic Plan, the IT Strategic Plan, the Enterprise Architecture Plan, the Security Plan and the Business Cases all support the same goals and objectives. The SBA IT budget is aligned with the SBA goals. Technology is aligned with business at the SBA and investment decisions have excellent supporting documentation and decision criteria.

The business case review process provided SBA with a portfolio of investments all scoring above the OMB required score of 4.0. The SBA developed a good working relationship with the OMB budget examiner because of the organized process and the clear goals and objectives. SBA was clearly prepared for the budget review process and was able to show clear support for the OMB objectives and the SBA objectives.

Corporate Experience: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Office of Enterprise Architecture Management (OEAM)

M Squared Strategies, Inc. provides trusted advisor services to the VA Enterprise Architect. M Squared assists the Department in promoting the Enterprise Architecture (EA) and in developing the necessary organizational functions that enable the EA to be developed and deployed effectively. M Squared provides Facilitation, Project Management Consulting, Executive Secretariat functions, Coordination and Planning support, Performance Measurement and Process design consulting, and Project and Communications Planning for the Enterprise Architecture and Data Architecture.

Specifically, OEAM called upon M Squared to help them meet mission related and organizational goals of:

• Developing, refining and marketing the Enterprise Architecture and the Data Architecture for VA
• Developing and executing program management best practices for all OEAM product lines
• Developing, refining and marketing System Development governance processes for the VA
• Establishing and executing metrics and other control mechanisms to monitor performance across all OEAM product lines
• Conducting high visibility analyses of key issues within OEAM and associated boards, councils and workgroups

M Squared Strategies staffed the client site with experienced certified project managers to provide continuing ad hoc strategic support to the ongoing development of the EA and OEAM. In this capacity, M Squared Strategies staff has provided organizational design support, Earned Value Management program implementation support, and the development and execution of administrative processes and design of the Enterprise Architecture Council and the Data Management Board. The company initiated activities such as:

• Preparing and maintaining project plans, and provide project management consulting to assist in creating a project oriented approach to service delivery
• Developing Concepts of Operations for the Service Lines
• Conducting e-Government implementation analyses and providing recommendations
• Prepare and maintain business line performance reports
• Developing and maintaining a metrics program for the VA’s e-Government projects, and track compliance
• Preparing Enterprise Architecture Communications and Marketing Plan
• Assist in Budget Development and Execution for all OEAM Service Lines
• Scorecard; track actions needed to improve
• Develop OMB-300 business cases

As a result of initiating these activities, OEAM has been able to initiate improved budget transparency, establish Earned Value Management; Initiate Technical Review Governance processes, and improve e-Government.

Corporate Experience: Veterans Health Administration (VHA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - HealtheVet and Regional Data Processing Center PMOs

M Squared Strategies provides management expertise to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for the HealtheVet and Regional Data Processing Centers PMOs. HealtheVet, the largest IT program in the VHA, is a mission critical system that ensures the consistent delivery of health care by allowing clinicians to have access to the patient’s visit history. M Squared Strategies has supported the planning of the update and modernization of the program with business case development, acquisition strategy planning, cost-benefit analysis, facilitation of project planning and strategic design. Additionally, M Squared provided facilitation services for the planning of project management software rollout.

The Regional Data Process Center (RDPC) PMO is a national effort at the VHA to coordinate the consolidation and rationalization of over 100 data processing centers to less than 20. As a trusted advisor for this organizationally sensitive and challenging work, M Squared has been part of the effort to design the approach to this difficult undertaking by:

• providing multi-day facilitation of regional CIOs to develop the Concept of Operations for 2 pilot approaches
• Developing Cost-Benefit Analysis and Analysis of Alternatives to select and justify the appropriate consolidation
• Assisting in the design of the best management approach for the consolidation
• Providing the start up design for the RDPC PMO, including establishing Roles and Responsibilities, Reporting Structures, Resource Usage, Administrative Management and Change Management processes, and communication planning.

The RDPC project will benefit VHA in a wide array of areas including:

• Standardization of IT operations
• Standardization and enhancement of security
• Provide more scalable and flexible infrastructure
• Optimization of Resources
• Leverage workflow allocations by VISN
• Minimize future costs
• Maintenance, Licensing
• Project Resources
• Supports Veteran-Centric Initiatives
• Emphasis on patient data VISN wide
• Continuity of care
• Ease of implementation of Government standards (for example, HIPAA)