1. The Business Systems & Productivity Services Group

Business Systems & Productivity Services (BSPS) is a group within Texas A&M Technology Services that offers quality IT services for offices within The Texas A&M University System. These services include developing custom software, maintaining or configuring existing applications, consulting on computer solutions to serve specific requirements, or installing and supporting commercial software packages.

In summary, the services provided by BSPS include:

  • Web application and other custom software development
  • Consultation for software and hardware requirements
  • Training on customized software applications
  • Installation, configuration and/or maintenance of purchased systems
  • Project management
  • Database support
  • Recommend solutions for business needs

The latest version of this document supersedes any other copy and is available at https://it.tamu.edu/files/bsps-business-guidelines.php.

For more information on BSPS services, please call 979.847.4877 (BSPS).

2. General BSPS Policies

BSPS strives to find solutions that best fit customer needs. To achieve this objective, BSPS has established the following general policies that encourage a cooperative effort among all project stakeholders:

  • BSPS asks each customer to select one person to serve as a liaison with BSPS personnel. This person defines and establishes priorities for all tasks assigned to BSPS personnel.
  • BSPS is committed to providing excellent service; therefore, staff members are required to undergo periodic training as part of their full-time workweek.
  • BSPS may ask staff members to cross-train on other customers’ projects. BSPS also retains the option to reassign personnel as projects evolve. This helps to ensure a depth of support and knowledge about each customer’s projects, and enhances BSPS' ability to provide a well-qualified support staff and better ongoing service. BSPS will coordinate any personnel changes with the customer liaison and will do its best to minimize the impact of the changes on the project.
  • The customer liaison may request that specific BSPS personnel be assigned to a project. While BSPS seriously considers these requests, it is not always possible to comply with such requests due to commitments to other projects. It is helpful if the customer provides as much advance notice as possible to facilitate scheduling and assigning desired personnel resources.
  • BSPS personnel participate in internal BSPS team activities. These activities will average no more than two hours per 40-hour workweek.
  • BSPS has developed an Application System Development Procedure (ASDP) for use when developing new applications or making major enhancements to existing applications. These procedures help control costs, ensure that systems meet customer requirements, and contribute to the timely delivery of applications.

2.1 BSPS Obligations

BSPS is committed to keeping the customer informed and aware of project activities. To facilitate communication, BSPS utilizes the ASDP guidelines to provide written and agreed upon descriptions of work to be completed, as well as status reports, risk analyses, and information on challenges such as record retention and copyright ownership. Cost estimates are provided, which include change budgets to allow for an expected measure of changes after the project is underway.

IT services are subject to a variety of regulatory forces. State and federal laws, university and A&M System rules, standard operating procedures, and technical guidelines can affect a project. These regulations are often technically complex, difficult to interpret, and subject to frequent changes. BSPS endeavors to comply with all such directives.

2.2 Customer Obligations

The effort expended by BSPS analysts is only part of the process in a project; the customer's participation also is vital. A project is best approached as a cooperative effort between the customer and BSPS, where continual feedback helps ensure the finished product meets the customer's needs.

The customer is expected to commit the time required for meeting with the BSPS analyst(s) and to provide any needed information. During the project, the customer should review the proposed solution as it develops to ensure their needs are being met. This reduces misunderstandings, helps to catch errors, and reduces costs by making corrections early in the process when they are less expensive. Finally, the customer must take an active part in testing the solution prior to its implementation to verify it meets their requirements. Once a solution is implemented and passes into the maintenance/support phase of the lifecycle, the customer should continue to assess the solution for meeting their needs.

The customer has responsibilities as the owner of a system and system data (i.e., Texas Administrative Code Title 1, Part 10, Chapter 202 and the associated Texas A&M University Rule 29.01.03.M1.21).

As a custodian of the customer's information resources, BSPS plays an important part in helping the customer meet its obligations under this university rule. However, the customer's delegation of computer support to BSPS does not abrogate their overall responsibilities under the rule. Ultimately, the owner is responsible for the system even though it may be developed, maintained, or supported by BSPS for the owner (i.e., the customer). For example, some of these responsibilities are associated with the following:

  • Providing security awareness training to staff, faculty, and student worker employees
  • Determining if departmental information is mission critical and/or confidential
  • Authorizing software applications for workstations and servers, including decisions about software versions and upgrades
  • Authorizing user account creation and modification, including decisions about who has access to which applications
  • Authorizing access for other entities (e.g., third-party vendors)
  • Allocating resources necessary for compliance with applicable regulations

Many regulations dictate "best practices" to protect state and university assets. While compliance does not guarantee safety, it may prevent or minimize damage to the application or its data, unauthorized use, or unauthorized information disclosure. Noncompliance also may have legal and administrative ramifications. 

BSPS will be happy to assist in locating these state and university regulations. For more information on state and university regulations, please visit the following websites:

BSPS' performance of the above tasks is dependent upon the customer allocating sufficient time and resources.

Additionally, BSPS works with the customer to keep the department or organization website/application compliant with legal and administrative regulations with which it is aware. This would include some or all of the following tasks:

  • Develop and test disaster recovery plans
  • Meet the requirements of the Texas A&M University Standard Administrative Procedure Information Resources – System Development and Acquisition (SAP 29.01.03.M1.21)
  • Address segregation of duties, privacy concerns and other audit concerns
  • Write system documentation
  • Ensure web accessibility
  • Conduct an annual automated web security review using a Texas A&M Technology Services approved tool
  • Provide project management services

BSPS' performance of the above tasks is dependent upon the customer allocating sufficient time and resources.

2.3 Ownership of BSPS-Developed Products

Unlike many commercial software development firms, BSPS does not charge royalties or license fees for the continued use of developed products. All BSPS-developed software and associated documents shall be owned by the A&M System member. If the customer so chooses, the customer can seek a copyright or have a patent registered to further protect the A&M System member's right of ownership.

Please be advised that BSPS reserves the right to reuse any software source code developed for any project in any future project, regardless of the customer. By reusing code, BSPS is able to reduce customers' costs.

For more information on how the university handles technical product ownership, contact:
Texas A&M Innovation
175 Century Square One, Suite 200
Mailstop 3369 | College Station, TX 77843
Phone: 979.246.0500
Email: innovation@tamus.edu
Website: https://innovation.tamus.edu/

2.4 Customer Feedback

BSPS appreciates feedback from its customers. Please contact the support person or the project manager about any concerns, especially those regarding the quality of BSPS support or service. Meetings also may be scheduled to discuss concerns. Any members of the customer organization or BSPS management are welcome to attend these meetings.

2.5 Contract Modification Options

Options for contract modification include the following:

  • If the customer organization consistently requests more work than can be accomplished at the existing project staffing level and BSPS has additional personnel resources available, then the contracted staff time may be increased (at additional cost).
  • If the customer organization consistently requests less work than the existing project staffing level requires, then the contracted staff time may be reduced (at a reduced cost).
  • An existing project contract may be canceled by converting to hourly ad hoc support.
  • BSPS personnel may be added on a non-contract basis to perform one-time tasks that the customer liaison would rather the regularly assigned support staff not perform due to other assigned work.
  • An existing project contract may be terminated or the level of support changed by either the customer liaison or BSPS management with 30-day written notice.
  • BSPS will endeavor to notify the customer in writing at least 90 days prior to a rate increase to facilitate budget adjustments for the following fiscal year.

3. BSPS Custom Development Policies

Customer-centered design approaches to developing systems are utilized by BSPS. The customer role in defining project requirements, verification of design and acceptance testing of the final solution is vital to a successful project. The development team and the customer share in the responsibility through all phases of the project to insure success. 

When BSPS is contracted to develop new software applications or make modifications to existing applications, BSPS recommends strict adherence to its ASDP. These procedures use a systematic and organized approach to defining objectives, specifying details, implementing solutions, and providing long-term continuing support. It provides the best environment for successfully creating custom software systems. It is designed to keep the customer advised and in control of costs throughout the course of development.

Project Classification

The exact nature of the ASDP process differs according to the size and scope of the work requested by the customer. Project classifications are often referred to on the basis of required work hours; however, work hours alone do not determine project classification. 

There are other important factors determining project classification.  These are normally assessed at the beginning of a project, but significant discoveries of unanticipated complexity may require re-classification of a project. Some of these factors include:

  • Customer's ability to communicate what they need
  • Complexity of the system needed to meet the customer's defined needs
  • Technologies required to implement the system
  • The development team/person’s experience with the proposed technologies

Using these guidelines, the customer and the development team leader are able to select an appropriate procedure that best addresses their particular system needs. The following table presents the types of contracts offered and the development methodologies used for projects, based on the number of hours estimated for a project.

Contract Type Charge By Methodology 1-40 Hours Methodology 40-320 Hours1 Methodology Based on Complexity
Fixed-Term Software Development2 Hourly Small Project Authorization Memorandum Development Procedure A Formal Development Procedure
Open-Term Software Development3 FTE4 Not Applicable Memorandum Development Procedure A Formal Development Procedure
Maintenance FTE Software Problem Report Memorandum Development Procedure A Formal Development Procedure

Table 1 – Contract Types and Methodologies

  1. The 320-hour boundary can be extended if deemed appropriate and with the BSPS Associate Director' approval.
  2. This type of contract is based on a fixed cost estimate. The customer is usually billed with a lump sum when the service is complete.
  3. An on-going development contract charged monthly based on the number of FTE(s) assigned to the project. The customer assumes responsibility for most cost over-runs.
  4. Full Time Equivalency.

BSPS recognizes that custom programming requires flexibility; therefore, limited exceptions to classifications are considered at the project leader's discretion. In the event that both the project leader and customer liaison determine an exception may be appropriate, final approval from the BSPS Associate Director is required.

As a matter of policy, we respectfully reserve the right to require using additional BSPS development procedures when changes in the scope of work are warranted.

4. BSPS Software Maintenance Policies

4.1 Warranty Policy

If defects in the software developed by BSPS result in a system malfunction during the three-month warranty period, BSPS will correct the problem at no charge providing there has been no change both in the source code and in the working environment of the system. Please report any problem to the BSPS office at 979.847.4877 (BSPS).

4.2 Post-Warranty Policy

For support and/or enhancements after the warranty period, please contact the BSPS office at 979.847.4877 for an analysis of the work to be performed and time/cost estimates. If no support contract is in effect for the system, then a new contract will need to be negotiated to cover the analysis and any resulting work.

Over time, as older versions of software and hardware are no longer supported, it may be necessary to upgrade hardware, operating system software, or make other improvements. These changes may also require upgrading the developed software. Please be aware, these costs are the customer's responsibility.