Procurement Process For Major IT Information Technology Projects

Joint Budget Committee. The bill requires internal process changes in connection with the procurement process for major information technology (IT) projects as follows: Delegation of authority to sign contracts: The state controller is authorized to delegate to state agencies the ability to sign contracts involving the payment of money by the state. Currently, the state controller chooses not to delegate such authority to the office of information technology (office) for IT project contracts. The bill requires the state controller to delegate the ability to sign contracts for major IT projects to the office and specifically to the chief information officer or the chief information officer's designee. Major IT project definition: The definition of major IT project currently applies to all state agencies. The bill exempts the department of education from the definition through June 30, 2019. Project plan for IT projects: The project plan for any major IT project by a state agency is required to include certain criteria. The bill specifies that in addition to current requirements, such a project plan shall include a planning and analysis function to be performed by the office to ensure that the state agency's desired major IT project solution is in accordance with the office's technology standards and to ensure that the scope and budget of the major IT project are vetted by the office. IT vendor selection: On or before December 1, 2018, the office is required to establish policies and procedures regarding a vendor selection standard to be used in selecting a vendor for any major IT project. The vendor selection standard is required to include a process for resolving differences of opinion between the office and the state agency in the vendor selection for any major IT project. Additionally, in 2017, the general assembly enacted legislation that required the state auditor to enter into a contract with an independent consulting firm to evaluate state IT resources. The bill expands the scope of the current contract to include a review and evaluation of the procurement process for the human resources information system, also known as HRWorks, and to provide objective findings and recommendations that could help the procurement process for major IT projects in the future. The consulting firm is required to submit a report, containing specified findings and recommendations, to the legislative audit committee, the joint budget committee, the joint technology committee, and the office of information technology. After receiving the report, such committees, the office, and any other office or department that was the subject of recommendations made in the report are required to meet to discuss the implementation of the recommendations made in the report. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More