SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 7D of the General Laws is hereby amended in by inserting the following definition:

''Cloud computing'', shall have the same meaning as provided in National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-145 or its successors.

SECTION 2. Chapter 7D of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 10. Cloud Computing Service Options

The Office shall: (1) lead state executive branch agency efforts to establish and reengineer the state's information technology architecture with the goal of coordinating central and individual agency information technology in a manner that:

(a) ensures compliance with the executive branch agency strategic plan; and

(b) ensures that cost-effective, efficient information and communication systems and resources are being used by agencies to:

(i) reduce data, hardware, and software redundancy;

(ii) improve system interoperability and data accessibility between agencies; and

(iii) meet the agency's and user's business and service needs;

(2) coordinate an executive branch strategic plan for all agencies;

(3) develop and implement processes to replicate information technology best practices and  standards throughout the executive branch;

(4) at least once every year:

(a) evaluate the adequacy of the Office's and the executive branch agencies' data and information technology system security standards through an independent third party assessment; and

(b) communicate the results of the independent third party assessment to the appropriate executive branch agencies and to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) oversee the expanded use and implementation of project and contract management principles as they relate to information technology projects within the executive branch;

(6) serve as general contractor between the state's information technology users and private sector providers of information technology products and services;

(7) work toward building stronger partnering relationships with providers;

(8) develop service level agreements with executive branch departments and agencies to ensure quality products and services are delivered on schedule and within budget;

(9) develop standards for application development including a standard methodology and cost-benefit analysis that all agencies shall utilize for application development activities;

(10) determine and implement statewide efforts to standardize data elements;

(11) consider, when making a purchase for an information technology, cloud computing service options, including any security benefits, data protection safeguards, and cost savings associated with purchasing a cloud computing service option;

(12) develop systems and methodologies to review, evaluate, and prioritize existing information technology projects within the executive branch and report to the governor and the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, the House Committee on Technology & Intergovernmental Affairs on a semiannual basis regarding the status of information technology projects; and

(13) assist the Governor's Office of Administration & Finance with the development of information technology budgets for agencies.".