For discussion EC(95-96)70
on 17 January 1996

ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 98 - MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGENCY
Subhead 001 Salaries

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the creation of the following supernumerary post in the Management Services Agency for the period from 1 June 1996 to 31 May 1998 -

1 Principal Management Services Officer
(D1) ($80,450 - $85,400)



PROBLEM

The Management Services Agency (MSA) needs a directorate officer to take overall charge of the implementation of Phase II of the Records Management Strategy (the Strategy).

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Management Services (DMS), with the support of Head, Efficiency Unit, proposes to create one supernumerary post of Principal Management Services Officer (PMSO) (D1) to head the Strategy’s Phase II Implementation Team for two years with effect from 1 June 1996.

JUSTIFICATION

Major Phase II tasks

3. The main objective of Phase II of the Strategy is to carry forward the momentum generated by Phase I, which has laid the foundation for the implementation of the Strategy, and to develop and implement improvement measures to cover a wider spectrum of Government departments. The proposed tasks of Phase II are summarised as follows -

  1. Service-wide Applications
    1. to extend the Bar-coding File Management System (BCFMS) to those registries not covered in Phase I;
    2. to develop and implement a Bar-coding Non-file Records Management System (BCNRMS) which is built upon BCFMS to provide an efficient and comprehensive directory system for all records;
    3. to further implement records storage facilities and systems in departments particularly in the promotion of standardised mobile racks;
    4. to study the need and feasibility of establishing a service-wide Records Transfer and Delivery System (RTDS); and
    5. to conduct a service-wide Records Management Survey in 1998 with a view to gauging the trend in records management as well as quantifying the overall achievement of the Strategy.
  2. Departmental Studies on Records Management (DSRM)

    to conduct about 12 departmental studies on records management by adopting a “total system” approach with a view to addressing the overall records management needs of selected departments.

  3. Specialised Centres and Related Studies
    1. to conduct reviews on the microfilming needs of individual departments;
    2. to establish a Government Microfilming Service Centre (GMSC) for providing microfilming and related services to departments; and
    3. to study the need and feasibility of establishing a Government Records Backup and Recovery Centre (BRC) for protecting vital records.

Staffing Requirements

4. We expect the Strategy to have an important bearing on service-wide practices and the use of resources in records management. Its implementation will involve major changes in operational procedures and organisational culture. To expedite the move towards better records management, we hope to complete Phase II of the Strategy within two years. To take the Strategy forward, DMS will set up an Implementation Team which is organised into three groups each headed by a Chief Management Services Officer. The Team has a total establishment of 38 non-directorate staff from both Management Services Officer Grade and General Grades. The organisation charts of the Implementation Team and the MSA are at Enclosures 1 and 2 respectively. The Implementation Team will be responsible for planning, organising and co-ordinating Phase II implementation.

5. The performance of the Implementation Team will impact directly on the momentum and outcome of Phase II of the Strategy. DMS therefore considers it essential that the Team be led by a directorate officer with substantial experience and management skills and who is able to provide the necessary leadership to steer the promotion of good records management in Government and to ensure that Phase II can be completed within two years. He therefore considers that the Head of the Implementation Team should be pitched at the PMSO level. The main duties and responsibilities of the proposed post are at Enclosure 3.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6. The additional notional annual salary cost at MID-POINT of the proposal is -

$ No. of Post

Principal Management Services Officer

994,200

1

If Members approve the proposal, we shall include sufficient provision in the draft Estimates for 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 to cover the cost of the proposal.

7. The creation of the PMSO post will not entail the creation of any additional non-directorate post.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

8. To promote better records management, the Administration formulated in 1994 a service-wide Records Management Strategy. The objective of the Strategy is to help departments reduce record stock, reduce record growth, improve quality of service and improve cost-effectiveness.

9. Taking into account the level of coverage and complexity, the service and improvement demands, the systems and technology involved, the resource and financial implications of the Strategy, we have adopted a phased approach in implementing the Strategy, with the broad intention of completing it in about five years. The objective of Phase I is to provide a sound service-wide foundation for the Strategy implementation and Phases II and III will carry forward the benefits of Phase I and extend the improvement in services to all departments.

10. The Finance Committee approved on 25 November 1994 a capital commitment of $35.7 million for Phase I and approved on 3 March 1995 the creation of a one-year supernumerary PMSO post to co-ordinate its implementation. The post will lapse on 31 May 1996.

11. The Finance Committee further approved on 5 January 1996 a commitment of $25.62 million for Phase II implementation.

CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH COMMENTS

12. CSB agrees that, given the size of the implementation team and the scope of the initiatives, there is a need to provide a PMSO to head the Phase II of the Records Management Strategy for two years up to May 1998. The grading and ranking of the proposed post are appropriate.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORATE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

13. As the PMSO post is proposed on a supernumerary basis, we will report its creation, if approved, to the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service in accordance with the agreed procedures.

Chief Secretary’s Office
January 1996


Enclosure 3 to EC(95-96)70

Principal Management Services Officer (Records Management) Main Duties and Responsibilities

Main Role and Objectives

The main role of the Principal Management Services Officer (Records Management) (PMSO(RM)) is to head a management services team for implementing Phase II of the Records Management Strategy (the Strategy) and maintaining the measures implemented in Phase I. He/she will be responsible to Assistant Director of Management Services (B) for the planning, co-ordinating and monitoring of the Strategy implementation.

Main Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of PMSO(RM) are as follows -

  1. maintaining the improvement measures initiated and systems implemented in Phase I;
  2. formulating plans for Phase II implementation;
  3. co-ordinating with parties concerned the tendering, evaluation and procurement of various systems, services and equipment required for Phase II implementation;
  4. co-ordinating with all government departments the preparation, installation, and data conversion of the service-wide Bar-coding Non-file Records Management System;
  5. reviewing the microfilming needs of all departments and setting up the Government Microfilming Service Centre;
  6. leading and conducting the feasibility studies on the Records Delivery and Transfer System, and the Government Records Back-up and Recovery Centre;
  7. leading and conducting Departmental Studies on Records Management with a view to providing a total system solution for departmental records managers;
  8. planning, leading, and conducting a service-wide Records Management Survey with a view to ascertaining the records situation in departments, gauging the results of the Strategy implementation, and identifying further initiatives;
  9. leading and supervising the Phase II Implementation Team (which comprises 38 officers from MSA) and overseeing the Team’s co-ordination with the Government Records Service ; and
  10. supporting the Steering Group on Records Management on all aspects of records management.


Last Updated on 3 December 1998