For the purpose of development and implementation of technology and platforms by the department and the authority under RCW 71.24.890, the department and the authority shall create a sophisticated technical and operational plan. The plan shall not conflict with, nor delay, the department meeting and satisfying existing 988 federal requirements that are already underway and must be met by July 16, 2022, nor is it intended to delay the initial planning phase of the project, or the planning and deliverables tied to any grant award received and allotted by the department or the authority prior to April 1, 2021. To the extent that funds are appropriated for this specific purpose, the department and the authority must contract for a consultant to critically analyze the development and implementation technology and platforms and operational challenges to best position the solutions for success. Prior to initiation of a new information technology development, which does not include the initial planning phase of this project or any contracting needed to complete the initial planning phase, the department and authority shall submit the technical and operational plan to the governor, office of financial management, steering committee of the crisis response improvement strategy committee created under RCW 71.24.892, and appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature, which shall include the committees referenced in this section. The plan must be approved by the office of the chief information officer, the director of the office of financial management, and the steering committee of the crisis response improvement strategy committee, which shall consider any feedback received from the senate ways and means committee chair, the house of representatives appropriations committee chair, the senate environment, energy and technology committee chair, the senate behavioral health subcommittee chair, and the house of representatives health care and wellness committee chair, before any funds are expended for the solutions, other than those funds needed to complete the initial planning phase. A draft technical and operational plan must be submitted no later than January 1, 2022, and a final plan by August 31, 2022.

The plan submitted must include, but not be limited to:

(1) Data management;

(2) Data security;

(3) Data flow;

(4) Data access and permissions;

(5) Protocols to ensure staff are following proper health information privacy procedures;

(6) Cybersecurity requirements and how to meet these;

(7) Service level agreements by vendor;

(8) Maintenance and operations costs;

(9) Identification of what existing software as a service products might be applicable, to include the:

(a) Vendor name;

(b) Vendor offerings to include product module and functionality detail and whether each represent add-ons that must be paid separately;

(c) Vendor pricing structure by year through implementation; and

(d) Vendor pricing structure by year post implementation;

(10) Integration limitations by system;

(11) Data analytic and performance metrics to be required by system;

(12) Liability;

(13) Which agency will host the electronic health record software as a service;

(14) Regulatory agency;

(15) The timeline by fiscal year from initiation to implementation for each solution in chapter 302, Laws of 2021;

(16) How to plan in a manner that ensures efficient use of state resources and maximizes federal financial participation; and

(17) A complete comprehensive business plan analysis.

Findings—Intent—2021 c 302: See note following RCW 71.24.890.