Ohio configuration preview
Approach
How the Ohio Veterans Navigator would be delivered and governed. It follows the submitted RFI response. Ranges are RFI-level estimates in U.S. dollars, and Phase 0 is included in each. Timings are counted in weeks from the start.
Three submitted paths
Path A · New ODVS build
12–18 monthsInitial $1.825M–$3.100MAnnual $450K–$850K
A new ODVS platform in the State-approved cloud. It gives the most design freedom but needs the most custom engineering and carries the most schedule risk.Path B · ODVS Accelerated Navigator Recommended
7–10 monthsInitial $770K–$1.475MAnnual $275K–$525K
A separate ODVS platform with its own brand, tenant and security boundary. It uses Ohio systems the State selects (OH|ID, Power BI, State handoffs) and approved RingMD components. These screens show Path B.Path C · RecoveryRachel veteran expansion Lowest cost
10–14 week pilot · 4–7 monthsInitial $350K–$700KAnnual $180K–$350K
A section of RecoveryRachel for veterans, managed by ODVS. It defers a separate tenant, sign-in with saved progress, case management, broad custom or closed-loop integrations, the stand-alone evidence environment, full Power BI models, the full graph, GraphRAG and multi-agent suite, and added channels and languages to later phases.Across the walkthroughs, Path C keeps anonymous plans, trusted resources and all 88 county offices, crisis and county contact routes, stewardship and corrections, basic reporting and a Power BI-compatible export. It removes sign-in and saved plans (walkthrough 04), the closed-loop R101 tracking and outcome funnel (06), most of the evidence environment beyond basic telemetry and export (gap reassessment, assigned follow-ups, the aggregate API and briefings in 08), the full graph, GraphRAG and six-agent orchestration (09), the separate tenant and release cadence (10), and added channels and languages.
Architecture
1 · Access and channels
- Responsive web on phones and computers
- Conversational and step-by-step routes
- Anonymous and signed-in modes
- Optional SMS, voice and kiosk
2 · Guided questions and plans
- Reads the goal and asks questions that fit it
- Consent, eligibility indicators and preferences
- Suggested next step, save and resume, handoff
3 · Resource intelligence
- One record per service, with owner, source and version
- Freshness checks and correction queue
- Steward and approver workflow
4 · Retrieval and AI
- Structured filters, vector search, knowledge graph
- GraphRAG, re-ranking, bounded synthesis
- Six bounded agents under one policy engine
5 · Integration and evidence
- REST, GraphQL, events and webhooks, federated query
- OH|ID and State-approved external identity
- Event stream, metrics, Power BI data products
6 · Trust and operations
- State-approved cloud and separate ODVS tenant
- Zero trust, encryption, SIEM, incident response
- WCAG 2.1 AA, 24/7 monitoring, help desk
Audit logEvery layer writes to one audit log. It records recommendations and the record versions they cite, consents, referral status changes, corrections and approvals, overrides with reasons, and policy or model changes.
Governance
State controlODVS sets the veteran content, which resources are trusted, the safety rules, data use and measures. It appoints the stewards and signs off on acceptance. ODVS and DAS approve the architecture, the endpoints and the releases.
AI governanceSix gates: use-case approval, model and design approval, pre-production evaluation, human validation, production monitoring, and change and retirement. Only State-approved models are used, and ODVS data isn't used to train them without written authorization.
Security and privacyThe applicable FedRAMP and ATO evidence is mapped to the ODVS boundary in Phase 0, and Ohio makes the authorization decision. Data use is minimal and consent is purpose-specific. Analytics are de-identified and separate from identifiable workflow data.
AccessibilityWCAG 2.1 AA is the baseline. Testing covers keyboard, screen reader, zoom and reflow, contrast and plain language, and veterans with disabilities take part in discovery, pilot testing and acceptance.
Path B stage plan
0 · Decisions and control
Which RingMD components are reused and the rights to them; hosting, model, tenancy, identity, integration, data-sharing, security, AI and outcome decisions
Weeks 0–4
1 · ODVS blueprint
Veteran personas and journeys, information architecture and brand, county and resource model, pilot design, data and API contracts
Weeks 2–8
2 · Configure and onboard
Dedicated ODVS environments; journeys, rules, retrieval, graph, agents, resources, identity, APIs, telemetry, Power BI, admin and audit; first stewards
Weeks 6–20
3 · County pilot
Urban, suburban, rural and Appalachian cohort; training, UAT, security assurance, incident and continuity exercises, outcome validation
Weeks 18–28
4 · Statewide waves
All 88 counties in readiness-based waves; partners brought on, public launch, extra support after launch, ongoing operations
Weeks 26–40
wk 0wk 4wk 8wk 12wk 16wk 20wk 24wk 28wk 32wk 36wk 40
Milestones (teal): Baseline approved week 4 · Integrated build accepted week 20 · Statewide release decision week 28 · Operational acceptance week 40
Stages overlap and their durations don't add up. The overall horizon of 7–10 months depends on Phase 0 decisions: the State-approved cloud and models, identity, endpoint agreements and county readiness.
County and partner rollout
| Workstream | What happens |
|---|---|
| Engage | Group all 88 county offices and participating organizations by role, services, connection needs and readiness |
| Prepare | Identity, access, resource inventory, data quality, workflow, service levels, privacy, support and training checklists |
| Train | Role-based training and train-the-trainer. Training is complete when users show they can do the task |
| Activate | Wave launch with a communications kit, live support, dashboard and correction queue, and a daily review in the first weeks after launch |
| Improve | Monthly county scorecard, coaching for stewards, fixes for data problems, backlog and release notes |
Phase 0 decisions
- Preferred path, and the two journeys and county workflows for the first release
- Hosting and tenancy with DAS; the State-approved models
- Identity: OH|ID for staff, and the external identity provider for veterans and families
- Resource ownership, freshness rules, publication gates and escalation
- Integration sequence: identity, authoritative resources, CVSO workflow, Power BI, RecoveryRachel and 988 handoffs
- Measures, baselines, suppression rules and the scheduled briefing audiences
- Pilot county selection and the wave entry criteria