For Software Selection Across Departments – Pitkin County Government, Aspen, CO
Owner: Information Technology Department
Effective: July 2025
To establish consistent, transparent, and strategic practices for selecting, procuring, and implementing software across all departments in Pitkin County to ensure security, interoperability, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with organizational priorities.
These guidelines apply to all software systems, platforms, applications, and tools—whether on- premises or cloud-based—proposed, acquired, or implemented by any department within the organization.
Central Oversight with Departmental Collaboration All software selections must involve the IT Department early in the process. Departments are encouraged to identify their needs, but final approval and implementation planning require IT review and sign-off.
All software must meet organizational cybersecurity standards and legal compliance (e.g., HIPAA, CJIS, Accessibility, etc.). A security risk assessment must be completed prior to procurement.
Before considering new software, departments must consult with IT to identify if existing tools can meet their needs. Please refer to our internal Service Catalog to track tools already in use. Data Integration and Interoperability New software should integrate effectively with existing systems (ERP, GIS, Laserfiche, etc.). Preference will be given to solutions that support open standards and APIs.
Procurement decisions must include an evaluation of the total cost, including licenses, implementation, support, training, renewals, and upgrades. Shared licensing across departments will be explored as necessary.
IT, in conjunction with our Attorney’s Office and Procurement, will assess vendor viability, support, scalability, and exit strategies before any commitments are made. Multi-year contracts will be reviewed by Procurement.
Software must support centralized authentication and adhere to the organization’s identity management standards (e.g., SSO, MFA).
Selected software must meet accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA or higher).
Departments must identify implementation, support and training needs. IT will then provide guidance on the feasibility of resource allocation.
Department/Project Sponsor completes a Business Use Case (Technology Projects), outlining business need, desired functionality, users, and timeline.
Important Note: This form must be completed regardless of price and procurement threshold. Even if the product is free, a request form must be completed.
Approving Authority: Department Director
Purpose: Validate that the project aligns with the department's needs and priorities.
Approving Authority: Cross-departmental Stakeholders
Purpose: Ensure input from other departments or groups that will be impacted by the project.
Approving Authority: IT Governance Committee (Director, Managers)
Purpose: Ensure technical feasibility, alignment with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, and long-term sustainability.
Approving Authority: Finance & Budget Directors
Purpose: Validate that the project is financially sound and that funding is secured or planned.
Approving Authority: County Admin Team
Purpose: Confirm alignment with county-wide strategic priorities and capacity.
Approving Authority: Board of County Commissioners
Purpose: Approve funding and authorize project initiation for those that are large-scale and/or high-visibility projects.
In emergency cases (e.g., public safety, time-sensitive grant requirements), exceptions may be approved by the CIO/IT Director with written justification. A post-implementation review will still be required to ensure long-term alignment.
These guidelines will be reviewed annually by the IT Department and presented to Executive Leadership for any necessary updates or revisions.