FOI 22 104 Document 06.pdf

Released by the Department of Finance under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
FOI 22/104 - Document 06
Parliamentary Expenses Management System
(PEMS) Project
Steering Committee – Meeting Minutes
Meeting Details
Date:
Tuesday, 27 August 2022
Time:
11.00am to 12.30pm
Venue:
GovTEAMS video conference
Attendees: Ms. Mary Wiley-Smith – Chair
Mr. John Sheridan – Project Executive
Mr. Annwyn Godwin – Senior User, Independent Parliamentary Expenses
Authority (IPEA)
Mr. David De Silva – Senior User, Ministerial and Parliamentary Services
(MaPS)
Ms. Lucelle Verenos – Senior Supplier, Service Delivery Office (SDO)
Mr. Simon Quarrell – Member, Digital Transformation Agency (DTA)
Advisers
s 22
– A/g PEMS Branch Head and Senior Supplier, ICTD
s 22
– PEMS A/g Director
Mr. Michael Frost – Branch Head, IPEA
Observers
Mr. Ben Rillo – Chief of Staff, Special Minister of State
s 22
– MaPS
1. Meeting Opening
Summary
Apologies
Mr. Peter Rush – Member, Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C)
Minutes
The Minutes of the meeting of 11 August 2022 were accepted.
Decisions
The Steering Committee accepted the minutes from the previous meeting.
Actions
Nil
2.
Steering Committee – Updated Terms of Reference (ToR)
Summary
The Committee agreed to update the ToRs to:
• Include Mr Rillo as an Observer to the Committee
• Strengthen the Committee’s role to consider the experience, engagement
and feedback of users.
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•  Include an independent expert on the Committee to provide advice and
assurance
•  Update the background information to reflect progress over the last few
years.
The Chair noted that an internal audit will be undertaken on PEMS next year
to prepare for possible external scrutiny given the delays to the build.
The Committee noted that:
•  significant work may be required post project closure in December to
address user feedback, backlog issues and any future changes as a
result of the implementation of Set the Standard report. This could lead to
the establishment of a new oversight Committee or a revamp of the
existing one.
•  DTA’s role on the Committee could complement the proposed
independent advisor.
Actions
A116 – The Chair agreed to meet with Simon Quarrell separately to discuss
the DTA’s role on the Committee.
A117 – IPEA and MaPs to update the ToRs.
3.   User experience feedback
Summary
Mr Rillo provided an update to the Committee on the experience of using
PEMS by parliamentarians and their staff. In particular he covered the
different types of work environments and styles in parliamentary offices and
the need for a range of tailored training and engagement. He also noted that
PEMS is just one of 11 systems used.
The Committee agreed to:
•  Accept Mr RIllo’s offer to use the SMOS’s office staff to test the PEMS
reporting functionality and future enhancements, and thanked Mr Rillo for
his offer of assistance.
•  Consider changes to the specs where possible to make PEMS more user
friendly, including looking at whether parliamentarians can delegate some
approvals to their staff.
Actions
A118 – MaPs to brief the SMOS on possible delegations
A119 – SDO to work with Mr Rillo and staff in the SMOS office to test PEMS
as required.
4.   Expenditure Reporting (Release 1)
Summary
An update on the progress to date was provided to the Committee.
The Committee agreed to continue to deliver the MVP for the reporting
function by 31 October 2022, noting however that 15 work items (specs from
IPEA) require further investigation and discussion at the next meeting.
Mr Rillo mentioned that from a change management perspective, a report
with the same look and feel as the current report would be expected. The
expenditure reports attract a lot of attention and accuracy is preferable over
timeliness, but ideally both.
The Committee agreed that a further meeting is required to understand the
15 items and their impact on the expenditure reporting for December, and to
discuss the remaining Agenda items.
Actions
A120 – SDO and IPEA to investigate the 15 items that require further
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investigation and to come back to the Committee with options, including
potential workarounds to ensure that the expenditure reports are correct.
A121 – SDO to compare the current reporting with the new PEMS reporting
to identify any differences and additional requirements.
A122 – Schedule a Steering Committee meeting in 2 weeks to discuss the
progress of the Expenditure report, and the 15 work items requiring
investigation
5.  Other Business
The meeting closed at 12:47pm.
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PEMS Steering Committee – Draft Meeting Minutes of 27/09/2022
Action Items
Item
Action
Owner
Status
Comments
Actions from meeting of 16/06/2022
A111
Update the Terms of Reference and membership of the
IPEA and
In progress
05/10/22 – Considered at the meeting of 27/9/22. Refer to
proposed Governance Arrangements.
MaPS
Action Item A116
19/09/22 – Terms of Reference have been updated to
include the attendance of an independent advisor and a user
representative from the SMOS’s office.
08/07/22 – The draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the
Change Authority have been distributed to business areas
for feedback and confirmation of membership. The ToR for
the Project Board and Steering will be reviewed an updated,
if required to cover the roles and responsibilities to project
closure.
Actions from meeting of 14/07/2022
A112
Confirm the Executive Management Committee and the
PO
In progress

Management Board dotted line connection in the
Governance Arrangements paper.
Actions from meeting of 11/08/2022
A113
Report Project Board’s evolving discussion of Risk #29.
PO
In progress
05/09/22 – risk #29 updated and presented to the
Project Board on 31 August, this risk hasn’t changed
significantly as the deliverable isn’t in question, rather
the date of delivery is being reconsidered as per action
A115. This risk will be updated as required based on
the outcome of the discussion on A115 in the meeting.
A114
Redistribute the finalised documents accepted as part of
PO
In progress
19/09/22 – governance papers included in the
A109’s and A110’s closure to Members.
document pack for the meeting of 27 September.
A115
Provide an out-of-session update regarding the complete PO
Closed
5/10/22 – Paper provided and considered at the
delivery of Release 1 and possible strategies (i.e.
meeting of 27 September.
increased funding/resources) to achieve the required
outcome by 30 September 2022.
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Item
Action
Owner
Status
Comments
Actions from meeting of 27/09/2022
A116
Chair to meet with Simon Quarrell to discuss the DTA’s
Chair
New

role on the Committee.
A117
IPEA and MaPS to update the Steering Committee
MaPS
New

Terms of Reference (ToRs).
IPEA
A118
MaPS to brief to SMOS on possible delegations.
MaPS
New

A119
SDO to work with Mr Rillo and staff in the SMOS office
SDO
New

to test PEMS as required.
Mr Rillo
A120
SDO and IPEA to investigate the 15 items that require
SDO
New

further investigation and to come back to the Committee
IPEA
with options, including potential workarounds to ensure
that the expenditure reports are correct.
A121
SDO to compare the current reporting with the new
SDO
New

PEMS Reporting to identify any differences and
additional requirements
A122
Schedule a Steering Committee meeting in 2 weeks to
PO
New

discuss the progress of the Expenditures report, and the
15 work items requiring investigation.

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8.  IPEA continues to receive calls from clients who are struggling to lodge a travel claim, view a
budget or review travel expenses. In these cases IPEA works through the claim with the client
explaining each step and ensuring they are able to submit their claim. A common point of
confusion is the way PEMS requires a trip to be set up and then each part of the travel to be
entered as a separate leg within the dates set by the trip itself.
Revised training approach
9.  The majority of the user cal s currently received in MaPS relate to general use/awareness rather
than particular system issues. MaPS is currently assessing the nature of those calls to inform the
content to a revised training approach.
10. MaPS is proposing the following:
o  Face-to-face training at all CPOs. Our trainer would travel to each location at least once.
  Face-to-face engagement may result in higher attendance.
o  Targeted face-to-face training. A small number of offices are still not using PEMS in any
capacity. Our trainer would arrange training session with each office and run those staff
through basic PEMS functionality, provide a Q&A session and arrange more detailed
training as required.
  The training would also highlight the benefits of PEMS (e.g. faster claim
processing time and the ability to process claims from any device in any
location).
o  Re-establish the PEMS User Reference Group (URG). Membership would be open to al
parliamentarians and MOP(S) Act employees. We would supplement the current Terms
of Reference (a forum for members to discuss PEMS systems requirements, participate
in UAT and provide feedback on education materials) to include information sharing on
system usability and members would be identified as ‘PEMS champions’ whose role
would be to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with their colleagues.
o  Introduction of PEMS Super User training. We will offer a ‘Certificate in PEMS’. In a ‘train
the trainer’ format, our trainer will run a one day workshop aimed at Office Managers.
Following a short test of knowledge gained, attendees will be awarded a ‘Certificate in
PEMS’ acknowledging their ability to train their colleagues in the use of PEMS. We
expect the certificate wil  be attractive to MPs when recruiting staff.
o  PEMS ‘for dummies’ user help guide. We would develop an online guide covering all
basic functionality and processing steps and easy to follow checklist to minimise claim
errors. The content and approach would be tested with the URG. In the longer term,
more detailed Help Guides for more complex functionality would be developed (early
2023).
o  Additional training for new parliamentarians. As part of the follow-up post inductions,
new parliamentarians have recently been asked if they would like more information on
PEMS. Some have requested training which wil  be provided in the coming weeks,
customised to individual capability.
11. IPEA is publishing a series of animated videos that step through the process e.g. lodging a travel
claim. IPEA is also publishing a series of step-by-step IPEA PEMS guides that may be saved or
printed.  These are being published in early October 2022.
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12. IPEA wil  be offering Education Sessions around Australia during November and these wil
include a segment dedicated to IPEA related PEMS functionality. Offices will also be able to
request electorate office visits to obtain a more tailored education session for their office.
Enhanced communications
13. Awareness raising remains a critical issue. MaPS will develop a new PEMS Communication Plan
that incorporates regular PEMS e-news and updates. In addition, the PEMS online presence wil
be refreshed to:
o  Update the MaPS Website landing page with a static banner relating to PEMS
information and access to training
o  Update the PEMS log on page with a link to the MOP(S) Learning – PEMS training
o  Update the MOP(S) Learning landing page with a new static banner to success  PEMS
training
14. The new IPEA education animations and PEMS Guides wil  be published on the IPEA website. Al
parliamentarians and staff will receive an email advising where to find the new products.
Background
15. To assist new and existing users with the Phase 2 PEMS rol  out, on 4 July 2022 MaPS and IPEA
implemented enhanced client support. This included a dedicated help desk, training sessions,
digital learning products, and targeted communications. MaPS published 13 short instructional
videos and created promotional material. Regular PEMS news is emailed to users and a new
page on the PEMS website provides tips, tricks and fact sheets.
16. For Post Phase 2 MaPS training, the largest session booked was for 30 staff members from
independent offices with only 15 staff attending. One Senator undertook face-to-face training
using his mobile phone, assisted by our trainer. The most popular states for registrations came
from SA, VIC and WA. With NSW having the least amount of external training participants.
17. MaPS Phase 2 training officers were positioned at APH during sitting week which saw only a
steady uptake of promotional material. Six people dropped into the on-site MaPS office.
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following priority issue (Attachment 4B refers):
a)  Severity-2: Travel being incorrectly deducted from the Electorate Support
Budget.
Project risks and issues
6.  Four project risks remain open (Attachment 4C).
7.  There are two open project issues (Attachment 4D).
Attachments
4A: Project Status Report
4B: Hypercare Dashboard
4C: Project Risks
4D: Project Issues

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Legend: On Target
Alert
Escalate
Overall

Green Light Criterion = All green,
or only one amber with no red

Amber Light Criterion = More
than one amber but no red
Identified issues being managed and  Issues are likely to affect the
Issues will have a significant effect  Red Light Criterion = One or more
updated regularly
implementation effort if action is
on the implementation effort if
red
not taken and managed
action is not taken and managed
Report Date: 7 October 2022
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PEMS MILESTONE 7.2 HIGH LEVEL SCHEDULE

Report Date: 7 October 2022
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