The Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) today highlighted year-to-date achievements, reflecting Governor DeSantis’ vision for an innovative, resilient, and tech-centered state.
“Governor DeSantis’ support and leadership have positioned our agency for success. We are responsive – prepared to assist and collaborate with customer agencies and private partners to better serve Floridians,” said Jonathan Satter, Secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services. “We are challenging the status quo, transforming the way people interact with government and finding smart solutions to save money while advancing operations.”
“Thanks to the leadership of Governor DeSantis, this year we launched the Florida Digital Service to transform the way we serve and communicate with the people of Florida,” said James Grant, State Chief Information Officer. “I look forward to continuing to partner with state agencies as we work to implement agile technologies.
Year-to-date successes include:
Protecting Florida’s Communities
- Under the direction of Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez, the Florida Digital Service continues to lead the Florida Cybersecurity Task Force. The Task Force will finalize recommendations to better protect Florida’s digital assets from cyber threats by February 2021.
- Successfully facilitated the passage of HB 821 related to Information Technology Security, aimed to better protect Floridians’ data and personal information. The bill broadens current provisions protected from public disclosure to include portions of records containing network schematics, encryption, and hardware and software configurations.
- Awarded more than $7 million in funds to Florida counties to support the construction and operation of modernized public safety communications systems through the E911 State Grant Program and the Rural County Grant Program.
- As administrator of the Defense Logistics Agency Law Enforcement Support Program, DMS assisted Florida’s law enforcement agencies in acquiring new Mobile All Terrain Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, resulting in nearly $11 million in savings.
- Distributed more than $171 million in insurance premium tax revenues to participating local police officer and firefighter pension plans to enhance retirement benefits for police officers and firefighters.
Innovating Healthcare
- Received the National Association of State Chief Administrators Innovation in State Government Award for the Shared Savings Program. Launched in 2019, the program allows State Group Insurance members to earn rewards by shopping for and selecting high quality, lower-cost healthcare services. The program has saved taxpayers over $8.2 million since its inception and provided $1.7 million in rewards to participants.
- Enrolled nearly 1,300 State Group Insurance members into new Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans, resulting in a net savings of $8 million to the state.
- Advocated for additional health benefits for state employees to include covered immunizations at participating retail pharmacies and telehealth for primary care services.
- Successfully facilitated the passage of SB 936 to better serve Florida veterans who are members of the Florida Retirement System (FRS). The bill allows FRS members and beneficiaries receiving care at a U.S. Veterans Health Administration facility to certify total and permanent disability from doctors regardless of the state the doctors are licensed in.
Advancing Operations
- Received ten Tax Watch Davis Productivity Awards, recognizing state employees and work units for their significant and measurable efforts to increase productivity and promote innovation.
- Returned nearly $3 million to state agencies by auctioning approximately 1,400 ready-to-dispose motor vehicles, watercraft, and other assets that had exceeded their lifecycle.
- Maintained the Florida Retirement System’s rating as the lowest cost defined benefit plan of the comparably sized peer U.S. systems – $17 per active member and benefit recipient, $87 below the peer average of $104 – while continuing to offer excellent services to members, employers, and benefit recipients.
- DMS reduced energy usage in state facilities by an 8.3 percent year-over-year kWh margin.
- Successfully facilitated the passage SB 1714 related to the Sale of Surplus State-Owned Office Buildings and Associated Nonconservation Lands. The bill amends current law to provide the state the flexibility to maximize the value of assets through the sale of surplus property and invest net revenues into improvements to the Florida Facility Pool.
- As part of the Capitol Complex Improvement Project, DMS completed the construction of the Capitol North Plaza and House of Representatives parking garage after opening the South Plaza and Florida Senate garage in December 2018. The projects aimed to increase public access and mitigate risks to the aging structure.
Digitizing Government
- Established in the Florida Constitution, the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force, chaired by DMS Secretary Jonathan Satter, developed recommendations to improve government operations and reduce costs. The 2019-2020 Task Force focused on government operations and technology.
- As recommended by the 2019-2020 Government Efficiency Task Force, DMS launched the Florida Fleet Telematics Pilot to record, transmit, and analyze data related to vehicle mileage, travel patterns, and diagnostics. DMS intends to utilize this data to support a long-term strategy to modernize Florida’s aging vehicle portfolio.
- Launched the Florida Digital Service (FL [DS]) on July 1, 2020, with a mission to improve government services and transparency through design and technology. FL[DS] is focused on completing a comprehensive state data catalog and dictionary, creating a secure and scalable cloud-ready enterprise architecture, and improving Florida’s posture to cyber threats.
- Migrated back-up storage to a cloud-based solution to meet capacity demands, helped migrate a real estate management application to the cloud, and partnered with the Northwest Regional Data Center to migrate on-premises mainframes to an “as a service” model, saving $1.6 million in year one and realizing a lease cost avoidance of $7.1 million over three years in support of the Governor’s Cloud-First initiative.
- Procured 15 new Telecommunications Infrastructure Project Services contracts to increase broadband access to Florida’s school districts and community libraries.
- In partnership with the United States General Services Administration, DMS modernized Florida’s State Agency for Surplus Property Program by transitioning away from a centralized warehouse to a digital direct ship model.
Responding to COVID-19
- Coordinated with the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to identify equipment and supplies necessary to respond to COVID-19.
- At the direction of Governor DeSantis, DMS Secretary Jonathan Satter issued an emergency order to ensure federal benefits granted through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act were available to state employees, including healthcare providers and emergency responders.
- Located and delivered medical supplies, including 135 adjustable medical beds, IV poles, and other medical supplies for use by DEM at the State Logistics Response Center in Orlando.
- Based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, DMS’ Division of Real Estate Development and Management prepositioned resources to respond to COVID-19, including the purchase of air filters, hand sanitizer, cleaning products, plexiglass shields, and personal protective equipment.
- Trained over 2,000 state employee volunteers to assist in processing applications for re-employment assistance benefits. State employee volunteers processed more than 350,000 applications.
- Supported the immediate transition to telework by completing over 3,300 requests to establish VPN connections, increase server capacity, and provide mobile broadband access for state employees.
- At the direction of Governor DeSantis, DMS partnered with the Florida Department of State in implementing Executive Order 20-149 related to Primary and General Elections. Over 820 State Personnel System employees served as poll workers for 2020 Primary and General Elections, totaling more than 13,000 hours of service in local precincts.
About DMS
The Department of Management Services (DMS) is the primary business and workforce services provider to Florida Government. DMS is proud to serve those that serve Florida, working every day to create efficiencies, value and sustainable cost savings for Florida taxpayers. DMS staff take pride in providing excellent customer service and supporting agency priorities through innovation and technology.
