[BCM] [GRA] [E2] [C6] BCM Plan Development

BC Plan Development Phase as part of the BCM Planning Methodology for the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA)

 

Introduction

Following the completion of the Business Continuity Strategy (BCS) phase, the next stage in the Business Continuity Management (BCM) Planning Methodology is the Business Continuity Plan (BC Plan) Development Phase. This phase transforms the recovery strategies identified during earlier phases into documented procedures that can be executed during a disruption.

The objective of plan development is to ensure that all critical business functions within GRA have clear, practical, and actionable recovery procedures that enable personnel to respond effectively during incidents.

A well-developed BC Plan provides a structured framework for managing disruptions, protecting regulatory responsibilities, and restoring normal operations within agreed recovery timeframes.

This chapter explains the key activities involved in developing Business Continuity Plans for GRA and outlines how business units can create, validate, and maintain effective recovery plans.

What Does Plan Development Entail?

The Business Continuity Plan Development process consists of three major stages:

1. Determination of the Organisation of the BC Plan Document.
2. Conducting a BC Plan Writing Workshop.
3. Finalisation of the BC Plan Production.

Each stage ensures that the resulting plans are comprehensive, practical, and aligned with GRA's business continuity objectives.

Determination of the Organisation of the BC Plan Document

The first stage involves establishing the overall structure and framework of the Business Continuity Plan documentation.

The objective is to ensure consistency across all business units and provide a standardised approach to recovery planning. 

Designing and Developing the BC Plan Template

A standard BC Plan template should be developed to guide all business units in documenting their continuity arrangements.

 

Typical Sections of the BC Plan Template

 

Section	Description
Plan Administration	Ownership, approval, review, and distribution details
Purpose and Scope	Objectives and applicability of the plan
Critical Business Functions	Key activities covered by the plan
Recovery Organisation	Recovery team structure and responsibilities
Activation Procedures	Conditions and authority to invoke the plan
Incident Response Procedures	Immediate response actions
Recovery Procedures	Step-by-step recovery actions
Resource Requirements	People, facilities, technology, information, and suppliers
Communication Procedures	Internal and external communication arrangements
Contact Information	Emergency contact lists
Appendices	Supporting forms, checklists, and references

A standard template ensures consistency across all GRA departments.

GRA Example

The Licensing Division, Enforcement Division, Corporate Services Division, and Information Technology Division should all use the same BC Plan structure while documenting function-specific recovery procedures.

Determining the Recovery Organisation

The Recovery Organisation identifies the personnel responsible for managing and executing recovery activities during a disruption.

Typical Recovery Structure

Recovery Role	Responsibility
Recovery Manager	Overall recovery coordination
Deputy Recovery Manager	Backup recovery leader
Team Leaders	Manage recovery activities within functional areas
Recovery Team Members	Execute recovery procedures
Communications Coordinator	Manage stakeholder communications
IT Recovery Coordinator	Restore critical technology services

 

GRA Example

For a disruption affecting regulatory operations:

Team	Responsibility
Licensing Recovery Team	Restore licensing activities
Enforcement Recovery Team	Continue critical investigations
Regulatory Monitoring Team	Resume compliance monitoring activities
IT Recovery Team	Restore regulatory systems and databases
Corporate Support Team	Provide administrative and logistical support

The recovery organisation should clearly define reporting relationships and escalation paths.

Conducting a BC Plan Writing Workshop to Guide Plan Writers

Once the template and recovery organisation have been established, the next step is to conduct BC Plan Writing Workshops.

The purpose of these workshops is to guide plan writers through the process of documenting recovery procedures.

Objectives of the Workshop

The workshop should:

• Explain BCM objectives and requirements.
• Review findings from the Risk Analysis and Review (RAR).
• Review Business Impact Analysis (BIA) results.
• Review approved Business Continuity Strategies.
• Explain plan writing standards.
• Clarify recovery roles and responsibilities.
• Facilitate completion of BC Plan templates.

Participants

Typical participants include:

• BCM Manager.
• BCM Coordinator.
• Business Unit BCM Coordinators.
• Department Managers.
• Recovery Team Leaders.
• Subject Matter Experts.

GRA Example

Participants may include representatives from:

• • Licensing and Permits Division.
  • Regulatory Compliance Division.
  • Enforcement and Investigation Division.
  • Regulatory Intelligence Unit.
  • Corporate Services Division.
  • Information Technology Division.
  • Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Team.

Completion of the Plan Template by Individual BU BCM Coordinators

Each Business Unit (BU) BCM Coordinator is responsible for documenting the recovery procedures for their respective areas.

Key Activities

• Identify critical activities.
• Document recovery priorities.
• Define recovery procedures.
• Identify required resources.
• Document alternate work arrangements.
• Establish communication requirements.
• Complete emergency contact lists.

GRA Example

The Licensing Division BCM Coordinator may document procedures such as:

• Manual processing of urgent licence applications.
• Accessing alternate licensing databases.
• Working remotely during office disruptions.
• Communicating with gambling operators during service interruptions.

Similarly, the Enforcement Division may document:

• Alternate investigation procedures.
• Access to critical case records.
• Emergency evidence management processes.
• Coordination with law enforcement agencies.

Finalisation of the BC Plan Production

The final stage ensures that all plans are complete, accurate, and ready for implementation.

Validation of BC Plans

Each plan should undergo a formal validation process to confirm:

• Accuracy.
• Completeness.
• Practicality.
• Alignment with recovery objectives.
• Compliance with organisational requirements.

Validation Responsibilities

BU BCM Coordinators

The BCM Coordinators validate:

• Recovery procedures.
• Resource requirements.
• Contact information.
• Recovery team assignments.

Heads of Business Units

Business Unit Heads validate:

• Operational feasibility.
• Recovery priorities.
• Resource commitments.
• Management approval.

BCM Programme Team

The BCM Programme Team reviews:

• Consistency across plans.
• Compliance with BCM standards.
• Alignment with ISO 22301 requirements.

GRA Example: Validation Process

For the Regulatory Compliance Division:

Validation Activity	Responsible Party
Verify compliance monitoring procedures	BCM Coordinator
Confirm staffing requirements	Division Manager
Validate technology recovery arrangements	IT Department
Review communication procedures	Communications Team
Approve final plan	Head of Division

Only after all reviews have been completed should the BC Plan be formally approved and issued.

Deliverables from the Plan Development Phase

The key outputs from this phase include:

Deliverable	Purpose
BC Plan Template	Standardised documentation framework
Recovery Organisation Structure	Defines recovery roles and responsibilities
Departmental BC Plans	Recovery procedures for each business unit
Emergency Contact Lists	Supports rapid communications
Recovery Checklists	Guides recovery actions
Plan Approval Records	Evidence of management endorsement

These deliverables become the operational documents used during disruptions.

 

Success Factors for Effective BC Plan Development

To maximise the effectiveness of BC Plans, GRA should ensure:

• Strong management support.
• Active participation by business units.
• Accurate and current information.
• Clear recovery procedures.
• Defined recovery responsibilities.
• Regular updates and reviews.
• Integration with testing and exercising activities.

A BC Plan is only effective if it is practical, accessible, and understood by the personnel responsible for executing it.