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Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

DNRC OIT Mission: Help the DNRC achieve greater success by providing exceptional service and technology that improves how we all work together.

Core Values: Integrity • Empathy • Communication • Stewardship • Ownership

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The mission of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is “Serving Montanans first through natural resource management.” As the Department’s Office of Information Technology (OIT), our purpose is to leverage technology to empower the agency to fulfill that mission.

This Strategic Plan outlines how we intend to do that. It’s broken out into the following parts:

• Objectives: Broad areas of focus that describe what we are trying to achieve.
• Goals: Individual, related goals that align with objectives.
• Strategies: Projects and initiatives that will be implemented to achieve the goals.
• Measures: Describe how we’ll know if we’re on track.

These objectives, goals, strategies, and measures were created to support the DNRC’s annual goals while aligning with the State of Montana’s IT Strategic Plan. This guide establishes our direction and reflects our philosophical approach to delivering service. It prioritizes high-impact, high-value work that propels the agency forward while emphasizing accountability, transparency, and the importance of building strong relationships.

The ideas and priorities presented here create a shared vision distilled from hundreds of hours of dedicated work by OIT staff and many others throughout the DNRC. Work that crosses divisions and business units, dissolving artificial boundaries in pursuit of acting as “One DNRC.” I am extremely grateful to serve such a fantastic team, and I look forward to continuing our work together to achieve our collective goals and make a lasting impact.

Chris Powell, CIO
Montana DNRC

Goals

Agency Goals and Objectives

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Digitization, Reduce Technical Debt

Objectives

  • Expand public access to data and services
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery
  • Digitize existing processes to reduce paper processing
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Internal Process
  • Deliver modern, consumer-grade digital experiences
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery
  • Reduce technical debt and overall application portfolio
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Be Business Consultants, Become Business Partners

Objectives

  • Be business consultants and partners to the agency
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Align IT initiatives with business goals and priorities
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Ensure delivery of business outcomes and measure value
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships
  • Enable data-driven improvements and decision making
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Digitization, Reduce Technical Debt, Become Business Partners

Objectives

  • Streamline procedures and processes
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships
  • Improve and standardize operations, reporting, and communications
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Improve financial management and transparency
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture, Improve Financial Transparency
  • Commit to innovation and continuous improvement
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Provide security by design
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Be Business Consultants, Become Business Partners

Objectives

  • Provide a flexible work environment
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Invest in training and continuing education
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Attract and retain top talent
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture
  • Prioritize exceptional service and relationships
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Design for Human Experience, Streamline and Elevate Customer Interactions, Enable Strategic Solutions, Improve Digital Transformation, Improve Service Delivery, Improve Business Value, Improve Strategic Partnerships, Build a People-First Culture

Information Technology Resources and Capabilities

Number of FTE: 8

Development and maintenance of applications, infrastructure, and data systems.

Number of FTE: 7

Collection, analysis, and development of spatial data. Includes data collection and processing via UAVs.

Number of FTE: 7

Front-line desktop and network support.

Number of FTE: 2

Project intake and management.

Projects

Division Trust Lands Management Division
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives Divisional Business System - Manage all aspects of land management and financial revenue tracking for State Lands' beneficiaries.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve financial transparency, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 7/16/2018 Estimated Delivery 12/31/2024
Estimated Cost 4500000 Comment
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion 500000 Comment Ongoing maintenance and operational improvements
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. 3/31/2024 - 90% completed. The current phase is expected to be delivered in December, followed by an ongoing maintenance agreement and development as needed.

Division Water Resources Division
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives Migration of the Water Rights Information System into an enterprise-grade COTS system.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve financial transparency, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 1/1/2026 Estimated Delivery
Estimated Cost 125000000 Comment
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Division CSD/Fiscal
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives To manage the entire scope of DNRC financial transactions (revenues, expenditures, grants, & loans) in a single, secure, enterprise system to enable greater transparency and accountability. The existing system is nearing 20 years old and cannot handle the financial requirements efficiently for today's digital transactions and services needs.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve financial transparency, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 8/1/2024 Estimated Delivery 12/31/2025
Estimated Cost 1200000 Comment
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion 400000 Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Division Forestry and Trust Lands
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives The Forestry Division needs a specialized fire financial management system that tracks department expenditures on fires along with our partnerships with other federal and local agencies for cost sharing mechanisms; and that ties to the DNRC enterprise financial system and SABHRS. Currently this is on an antiquated MS Access system and does not efficiently manage today's fire financial needs for tracking and reporting metrics in real time.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve financial transparency, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 7/15/2024 Estimated Delivery 6/1/2025
Estimated Cost 500000 Comment
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Division CSD/OIT
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives Migrate paper forms and workflows into a 100% digital process
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 10/1/2024 Estimated Delivery
Estimated Cost Comment
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Division Forestry and Trust Lands
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives Provide digital access to DNRC customers for account information, maintenance, and payments.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Design for human experience, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 7/15/2024 Estimated Delivery
Estimated Cost 2000000 Comment
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Division CSD/OIT
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives Modernize the aging GIS IT infrastructure to allow for faster upgrades, reduced time-to-value, and more time spent delivering business outcomes.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation
Estimated Start 7/15/2024 Estimated Delivery
Estimated Cost Comment
HB 10 Request No Funding Sources : - Comment: : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Division CSD/OIT
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives Implement automated surveys to monitor customer satisfaction and collect feedback on application performance, customer effort levels, and more that will allow us to improve operations.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Digitization, Reduce technical debt, Streamline and elevate customer interactions, Improve business value, Improve digital transformation, Improve Strategic Partnerships
Estimated Start 9/1/2024 Estimated Delivery
Estimated Cost Comment
HB 10 Request Funding Sources : - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended.

Summary of Hardware

I have reviewed all of my agency's systems in Assurance CM and certify that it is accurate: Yes

Total Number of Appliances 0 Any appliances DNRC utilizes are hosted by SITSD.
Total Number of Physical Servers 21 Local file storage in small, remote unit offices. Transitioning to virtual as network bandwidth permits.
Total Number of Virtualized Servers 0 DNRC virtual servers are hosted by SITSD.
Total Usable Storage Space 0 TB
Device Type Quantity Estimated Replacement Value Comments
Laptop 613 1,226,000 Approximate full value @ 2000/device. Not depreciated value.

Desktop 381 762,000 Approximate full value @ 2000/device with monitors. Not depreciated value.

Digital Camera 132 75000 Very rough estimate due to substantial variance in device type, cost, and age. Includes trail cams and UAS-mounted cameras.
Printer 120 IT does not track these devices as they are owned and purchased by programs out of program funding. A number of devices are also under lease through DOA.
Mobile Devices 300 255,000 Includes smartphones and tablets with an average replacement cost of $850/device.

Agency Contact Information

Agency Director / Administrator
Amanda Kaster
444-1948
amanda.kaster@mt.gov
1539 Eleventh Ave. Helena, MT
IT Contact (CIO / IT Manager)
Chris Powell
444-0575
christopher.powell@mt.gov
1539 Eleventh Ave. Helena, MT
Information Security Manager
Tyler Redden (Interim)
444-1283
tyler.redden@mt.gov
1539 Eleventh Ave. Helena, MT