Contract monitoring
The IT contract monitoring system within public administrations aims to help them improve contract governance and information system management by clearly and measurably identifying the objectives and benefits of their initiatives and verifying their achievement with quantitative and qualitative indicators. Combined with the application of project management best practices, monitoring can ensure that projects are managed more effectively and efficiently, both technically and economically, and provide a tool for management to develop short, medium and long term strategies.
Index
Index
Strategies
Strategies
The Digital Administration Code (CAD) assigns to AgID the task of identifying the criteria and operational methods that public administrations must implement to monitor IT contracts. Such criteria and methhods are indicated in the Circular No. 1 of 20th January 2021.
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The monitored contracts
Two types of criteria, economic and impact, are used by AgID to identify the types of contracts to be monitored.
The economic criteria mean that monitoring is mandatory if the amount exceeds the minimum threshold indicated in the Circular (point 2.2).
On the other hand, the impact criteria are adopted on the basis of the different activities carried out by the administration (state security, national defence, public order and security, the holding of national and European elections, etc.), the administration's considerations on the envisaged (strategic) objectives and expected impacts and on the basis of the Three-year plan or any specific requests by AgID.
By 30 March each year, and by 30 September for any updates, the administrations must:
- identify the methods for carrying out the monitoring activities, among those indicated in paragraph 3.2 of the Circular, and draft the Monitoring Plan;
- submit to the Agency the list of contracts that meet the criteria set out in the Circular and publish the same list on their official website;
send to the Agency the Screening Document related to each contract.
To assist administrations in fulfilling their obligations, AgID offers training courses on how to prepare the above-mentioned documents.
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Monitoring Managers
Administrations are required to identify and formally appoint a contract monitoring officer.
The role is normally assigned to a manager or a senior official belonging to the Office of the Digital Transition Manager, and is responsible for managing the contract monitoring activities of their Administration.AgID publishes and periodically reviews the list of monitoring managers communicated by administrations.
Digital skills
Digital skills
Since 2021, the Agency has launched a training programme aimed at presenting Circular 1/2021, focusing on the methods of managing and monitoring IT contracts, and explaining to administrations the required fulfilments.
The training sessions have been delivered via webinar in cooperation with Formez. The recordings are available on YouTube at the following links:
Sample checking
Sample checking
Every year, AgID carries out spot checks on the monitoring activities carried out by the administrations, as required by Circular No. 1/2021, and determines the list of contracts to be audited.
Administrations are selected on the basis of annual criteria, taking into account national and European digitisation strategies and the objectives of the Three-Year Plan for IT in Public Administration.
Determination No. 259 of 7 October 2024 adopted the criteria for the drawing of the sample for the year 2024, which must include:
- at least one contract linked to the use of Artificial Intelligence;
- at least one contract connected with projects aimed at the implementation and/or standardisation of databases and interoperability between systems, following the ‘once only’ principle;
- at least one contract aimed at the implementation, re-engineering or expansion of services to citizens and/or enterprises;
- at least one Local Public Administration (PAL).
Based on these criteria, five contracts involving five administrations were identified for 2024.
Previous selection criteria and selected contracts are available at the bottom of the page in the Documents and Regulations section.
Documents and regulations