America's Job Link Alliance

3-Year Strategic Plan

July 10, 2001

Mission Statement
The America's Job Link Alliance will enhance the knowledge, experiences, resources, systems and technologies of member states and their partners to continuously improve and strengthen individual workforce development capabilities and to reduce risks members face as they make critical changes to their business processes and practices.

Vision Statement
The America's Job Link Alliance envisions a seamless network of workforce development system service delivery, marketing, training, leadership development, business planning, and change and transition management tools, allowing customers to be served efficiently and effectively within and across state and national boundaries.

Values Statements
The America's Job Link Alliance is committed to sharing resources among member states to improve responsiveness, impact and return on investment.

The America's Job Link Alliance is committed to sharing lessons learned through the implementation of various changes to improve the likelihood of success for member states.

The America's Job Link Alliance is committed to using its singleness of purpose to leverage vendor services and prices, thereby improving economics of scale for member states.

Objectives Statements
A. The America's Job Link Alliance is recognized by the workforce development community for its innovative and effective business practices and technology solutions.

B. The America's Job Link Alliance member states share the core of a variety of workforce development technology solutions.

C. The America's Job Link Alliance member states share enhancements to core workforce development technology solutions.

D. The America's Job Link Alliance member states jointly maintain and operate workforce development technology solutions to the extent possible.

E. Active membership in the America's Job Link Alliance exceeds 20 states.

F. The America's Job Link Alliance member states procure services from the same vendors and suppliers for like services and products to the extent possible and allowed by various state procurement laws.

G. The America's Job Link Alliance member states share training and learning strategies, tools and programs.

H. The America's Job Link Alliance member states share successful marketing strategies, products and tools to the extent possible.

I. Through a variety of vendors, suppliers and core services, the America's Job Link Alliance offers the following product lines:

1. Strategic Management Training
2. Change and Transition Management Training
3. Business Planning and Process Reengineering Services
4. Training and Learning Services
5. Marketing Tools, Tips, Techniques and Products
6. Enabling Technologies
7. Policy Advocacy
8. Executive/Leadership Development Training
9. Granting Writing Services
10. O*Net Conversion Counseling and Technologies
11. Maintenance/Operations of Enabling Technologies
12. CRM and CTI for Call Centers

J. America's Workforce Technology Solutions' products and services are core components of those offered by the America's Job Link Alliance's Enabling Technologies Product Line.

Strategies Statements

Objective A:
1. Develop the best business practices through business process reengineering efforts led by Richard Maher.
2. Promote practices to workforce development community through NASWA and other means.
3. Implement best practices in a variety of Alliance member states.
4. Share results specifically with USDOL.
5. Develop an Alliance staff funded by state members, preferred vendors and USDOL grants, to the extent possible, to provide daily operational support for the Alliance. Leverage the existing structure of America's Workforce Technology Solutions provided in Kansas as well as the NASWA organizational structure and committee systems.

Objective B:
1. Develop core technologies through Alliance initiatives funded in part by state resources and USDOL grants to Alliance member states.
2. Conduct joint application development sessions with participation from a variety of Alliance member states to ensure development responds to real and anticipated business needs.
3. Market and promote new technologies through NASWA, Alliance meetings and other means.

Objective C:
1. Develop an Alliance organizational structure that supports and encourages input and feedback from member states regarding enhancements to core technologies.
2. Conduct joint application development sessions with participation from a variety of Alliance member states to ensure enhancements respond to real and anticipate business needs.
3. Develop enhancements to core technologies through Alliance initiatives funded in part by state resources and USDOL grants to Alliance member states.
4. Market and promote new technologies through NASWA, Alliance meetings and other means.

Objective D:
1. Promote possible return on investment gained through joint maintenance and operation of core technologies.
2. Leverage the America's Workforce Technologies Solutions resources, knowledge and structure to provide ongoing maintenance and operation of core technologies.
3. Invest in the continuous learning, training, and skill set enhancements of America's Workforce Technology Solutions' employees.
4. Explore other vendor relationships that may enhance the Alliance's ability to provide maintenance and operation services.

Objective E:
1. Promote existence, purpose and objectives of Alliance to potential state members.
2. Demonstrate existing technologies, explain potential ones, and discuss return on investment for joining Alliance.

Objective F:
1. Develop an Alliance organizational structure that provides for ease of procurement.
2. Develop a procurement mechanism not in violation of any member state's procurement laws.

Objective G:
1. Develop an Alliance organizational structure that supports and encourages input and feedback from member states.
2. Determine and share best practices and lesions learned through that structure.

Objective H:
1. Develop an Alliance organizational structure that supports and encourages input and feedback from member states.
2. Determine and share best practices and lesions learned through that structure.

Objective I:
1. Determine potential services which Alliance member states may be interested in receiving.
2. Establish relationships with vendors and other providers who may be able to deliver those services.
3. Negotiate best pricing based on economics of scale.

Objective J:
1. Amend the America's Workforce Technology Solutions contract with NASWA to make it part of the America's Job Link Alliance.
2. Offer AWTS products and services through the Alliance procurement mechanism.