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Rep. Glenn issues IT task force report
RELEASE|February 6, 2020

Proposals aimed at improving state computer systems

Rep. Annette Glenn, R-Midland, this week helped present a bipartisan legislative report that will help prevent cost overruns and inefficiencies afflicting state information technology projects.

The Information Technology Task Force – which Rep. Glenn was appointed to last summer – has sparked an Auditor General review. The goal is to implement best practices for managing IT projects across all state departments, protect consumers, and improve accountability. Future legislation is expected.

“We are fighting to improve services for Michiganders and save money for hard-working taxpayers,” Glenn said. “Our task force report illustrates a myriad of ideas on how to improve IT services for the people of Michigan.”

Glenn said there is a long list of the state’s IT failures with projects that cost millions more than they should, all while delivering poor service to customers.

“Some of the issues I feel strongly about are helping put an end to human trafficking and helping children in abusive homes get the help they need,” Glenn said. “That’s why I was alarmed when I learned the system related to trafficking and child abuse cases through the Department of Health and Human Services system cost $231 million in the past several years – yet it continued to have persistent and significant errors.”

About 40,000 Michigan residents were victimized and wrongfully accused of fraud between 2013 and 2015 by a faulty computer system used by the Unemployment Insurance Agency. A failed Secretary of State computer system overhaul started in 2005 resulted in service issues, lawsuits and cost overruns.

Among the findings and recommendations:
• State departments should provide updates to the Legislature on IT projects that exceed their budgets or aren’t completed on time. This will improve oversight and transparency on behalf of taxpayers.
• All state IT contracts should include “clawback” provisions to help hold contractors accountable. These provisions often call for money to be repaid or other penalties if a contractor fails to deliver on contractual obligations.
• Accounting practices and terminology should be standardized across all state departments, and all of the state’s IT projects should by managed by the Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) within the Department of Technology, Management and Budget. The task force found some IT projects did not define basic terms and could not determine if a project was on time or within budget because of differing language and interpretations. As part of the process to improve overall management, the state Auditor General conducted a review focused on helping ensure true costs for projects are identified from start to finish.

“This task force and its recommendations are a significant step in the right direction,” Glenn said. “The state must do a better job. The findings and continued work by this task force will ensure taxpayer dollars are spent more wisely in the future and that our information technology projects are truly serving the needs of our residents once completed.”

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