The Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) supports the State Chief Information Officer by establishing and applying standardized processes, quality measures, and accountability structures that guide the planning and delivery of all non‑exempt IT projects across North Carolina. Through structured review, monitoring, and continuous improvement practices, the EPMO ensures projects align with statutory requirements, strategic priorities, and defined performance expectations.

The EPMO provides expertise, metrics, and consultative guidance to help agencies plan effectively, manage costs and schedules, and deliver intended outcomes. As the state's quality assurance authority for IT project management, the EPMO promotes transparency, consistency, risk awareness, and informed decision‑making throughout the project lifecycle.

Purpose & Statutory Responsibility

The EPMO supports and administers the State CIO’s statutory oversight responsibilities for all IT projects and programs. This includes developing and implementing standardized processes, systems, and accountability measures that enable qualified project managers to deliver successful outcomes on time, within budget, and as expected.

EPMO developed governance and oversight practices, along with supporting documentation, help ensure IT projects are planned, developed, and delivered in a consistent, controlled, and transparent manner throughout the project lifecycle. The EPMO also defines the operational project parameters for effectiveness and quality initiatives that support continual improvement and customer satisfaction.

The EPMO’s focus is:

  • Fulfilling the requirements of Article 15 of N.C.G.S 143B related to IT project management
  • Developing and implementing standards for IT projects and project management
  • Establishing meaningful metrics that improve financial and schedule performance
  • Providing consultative support for effective planning and cost estimation before committing state resources
  • Streamlining decision-making processes
  • Minimizing the need for IT project change requests
  • Conducting independent reviews of large or high-risk IT projects, as needed, and weekly reviews of all other
  • Applying lessons learned, feedback, and metrics to continually improve the overall process
  • Leveraging existing state assets and tools to support effective portfolio, program, and project management

IT Project Quality Policy & Objectives

The EPMO’s policy and objectives focus on providing a consistent framework for governance and oversight across all state IT projects. They provide the foundation for evaluating performance, ensuring accountability, and communicating expectations throughout the state. The EPMO recognizes that successful IT projects leverage highly qualified people, effective processes, and appropriate technology to maximize value and achieve intended outcomes.

Policy

To support the State CIO, the EPMO’s policy is to uphold consistent, disciplined, and evidence‑based practices that guide the management and delivery of IT projects across the state. These practices establish the standards under which the EPMO evaluates and ensures that project activities observe statutory requirements. The EPMO:

  • Employs expert staff to pursue evidence-based decision-making in carrying out the State CIO’s IT project governance and oversight mandate for strategic planning processes
  • Assesses IT projects for compliance with applicable executive, statutory, and regulatory requirements, as well as goals, and objectives
  • Works closely with stakeholders to determine the necessary levels of awareness, tools, training, and guidelines to effectively deliver projects, programs and portfolios within planned cost and schedule expectations
  • Responds to stakeholder requests and decision points with clarity and transparency based on defined timelines
  • Investigates situations in which objectives are not met and initiates corrective action when necessary
  • Continually seeks opportunities to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and service delivery

Objectives

IT projects are planned and executed to deliver expected solutions within approved cost and schedule parameters while meeting established decision point requirements and process timelines. These metrics translate into the following objectives:

  • Deliver IT projects following an approved schedule
  • Deliver IT projects within an approved budget
  • Facilitate statewide reviews and decision points, in accordance with established processes and timelines, and forward recommendations or return decision packages for corrective action
  • Achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction through effective, measurable, and continually improving IT project oversight and delivery
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