Functional Statements > Office of Finance and Operations

Office of Business Support Services is responsible for all IT activities that affect the Office of Financial Operations (OFO) systems, services, or applications (SYSTEMS) that are operating on the Department of Education's hosted platform (PIVOT-H), commercial shared services platforms, or Federal shared services platforms.

Customer and System Support Division (CSSD)

The Customer and System Services Division (CSSD) reports to the Office of Business Support Services' (OBSS) Deputy Assistant Secretary within OFO.

The CSSD is the customer service division within OBSS and is comprised of two branches: OBSS HelpDesk and Training and Communication. CSSD is responsible for all end user training, help desk and communication necessary to support the OFO systems, to include the EDCAPS Applications as well as other OFO systems hosted on PIVOT-H. EDCAPS is comprised of the Grants Management and Contracts and Purchasing Systems that are integrated to the Department's core Financial Management System. CSSD's mission is to support the Department's core financial systems and those systems hosted on PIVOT-H.

OBSS Helpdesk Branch

OBSS Helpdesk Branch provides EDCAPS customers with Tier 1 help desk support necessary to utilize the EDCAPS Applications (CPSS, FMSS, G5, IPP, and E2) to perform their work proficiently. The help desk is broken into two teams, one that supports internal customers that use EDCAPS and the G5 Hotline that supports external users only. Collectively the EDCAPS Help Desk receives approximately 30,000 calls per year and is staffed with 3 full time ED and 8 Collabralink contractor support staff. The help desk provides customer assistance on EDCAPS system issues during the hours of 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM EST and G5 Hotline support through 6:00 PM EST. The EDCAPS Help Desk receives calls from ED staff through the Cisco Finesse Call Distribution System according to issue type and agent availability, and through email messages received through the Department's MS Outlook system. The EDCAPS Help Desk uses RemedyForce, a hosted application that sits on the Salesforce Platform. All issues received by the help desk are posted to the Help Desk RemedyForce call tracking system. Incidents that cannot be resolved by Tier 1 are assigned to Tier 2/3 for further analysis.

Training and Communication Branch

Training and Communication Branch is responsible for the creation, maintenance, and delivery of courses for the EDCAPS Applications.  The training branch creates online course content using the Oracle User Productivity Kit (UPK) software and maintains a library of over 600 course topics available in the Department's FedTalent Learning Management System.  The same course content is housed and maintained on ConnectED along with the full complement of course offerings delivered throughout the calendar years.  Communication in regard to the course schedule, planned EDCAPS system upgrades, outages, and functional changes, all are centralized to the Training Branch.

Business Systems Support Division (BSSD)

The Business Systems Support Division (BSSD) reports to the Office of Business Support Services' Deputy Assistant Secretary within OFO. 

The BSSD's mission is to develop, operate, maintain, and support the Department's core systems. BSSD is responsible for operating and maintaining the agency's financial, grants, contracts, and procurement systems. For each BSSD is responsible for supporting the IT lifecycle, developing solutions, testing, and installing related software components. BSSD helps to establish policies and procedures and ensures system compliance with applicable laws and regulations. It also works with OCIO to ensure a current cyber security posture. The BSSD is comprised of three branches:  Grants Management; Financial Management; and Education Systems Services.

Grants Management Branch (GMB)

The Grants management Branch maintains the Department's Grants Managements System (G5). It is responsible for the functional operations, providing O&M, troubleshooting, and enhancements. They also support external interfaces to Grants.gov, Sam.gov, Treasury, and DOI. Internal interfaces to FSA, and the other systems under EDCAPS.

Financial Management Branch (FMB)

The Financial Management Branch maintains the Department's Financial Management System (FMSS) and the Departments Contracts and Procurements System (CPSS). It is responsible for the functional operations, providing O&M, troubleshooting, and enhancements. They also support external interfaces to Sam.gov, Treasury, and DOI. Internal interfaces to FSA, and the other systems under EDCAPS. This branch also helps to make the Department's payments in conjunction with OFM.

Enterprise Systems Services Branch (ESS)

The Enterprise Systems Services Branch supports the Department's Audit Accountability and Resolution Tracking System (AARTS), the Building and Personnel Security System (EDSTAR), and the Department's instance of Hyperion. It is responsible for the functional operations, providing O&M, troubleshooting, and enhancements. They support external interfaces to GSA, DOI, and DOJ.

Shared Services Systems Support Division (SSSSD)

The Shared Services Systems Support Division (SSSSD) reports to the Office of Business Support Services' (OBSS) Deputy Assistant Secretary within OFO.

The SSSSD is responsible for supporting the Departments travel program and the coordination of actions required to enable the OFO to maximize the use of shared IT services offered by other Federal departments and agencies, to also include the shared services offered by commercial entities. 

The Federal IT Modernization Report highlights actions that compliment Department and Agency efforts to modernize citizen facing services – by moving to a more secure, agile, and cost-effective infrastructure, much of which will be provided by shared services. By leveraging shared services offered by other Federal departments and agencies, and also the shared services offered by commercial sources, the Department of Education can focus on enabling a more effective and efficient government for the American people. ED's shared services efforts seek to improve the return on investment for IT spending, close productivity gaps, increase communications with the managing partners and customers of shared services. With the challenges faced in today's resource-constrained operating environments, the Department must also eliminate any wasteful spending that results from implementing duplicative solutions for mission, support, and commodity IT functions.

Commercial and Federal Management Shared Services Branch (CFMSSB)

The CFMSSB supports the Departments use of leveraging shared services offered by other Federal departments and agencies and supports OFO in the use of approved Cloud Service Providers and services.  CFMSSB provides support to OFO business units by supporting Information Technology projects in accordance with Department systems life cycle management procedures. In addition, the CFMSSB monitors and assesses OFO systems in accordance with information assurance, and information management competencies defined by the Department. Finally, CFMSSB advises OFO business units on the continuation, modernization, consolidation, or termination of systems.

Travel Management Branch (TMB)

The TMB establishes the Departmental travel policy and procedures, administer, and monitor the agency's travel system and program, and conduct training to ensure ED compliance with the Federal Travel Regulations. The TMB is responsible for administering the Departments travel cards and the Departments travel card system. TMB is also responsible for reconciling monthly travel invoices to ensure compliance with Department and Federal travel polices. In addition, TMB develops and conducts quarterly user and administrator travel card user training for Department officials. Finally, TMB conducts post travel card payment audits to ensure payment integrity for all submitted documentation.

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