The Quality Assurance Team (QAT) Annual Report on monitored major information resources projects at Texas state agencies was released this month. The QAT, which includes representatives of the Legislative Budget Board, the State Auditor’s Office, and the Department of Information Resources, is charged with overseeing major information resource development projects.
FACTS AND FINDINGS
- From December 2014 to November 2015, 91 major information resources projects representing $1.4 billion in current estimated costs were in the technology portfolio. Twenty-three of these projects were approved and were scheduled to begin on or after September 1, 2015.
- The technology portfolio’s total current estimated project costs have increased $200,000 since last year’s annual report. However, there are 18 more projects than last year’s report.
- Twenty-seven projects were reported to be complete or near completion as of November 2015.
- Five projects were canceled since last year’s annual report.
- QAT reviewed 33 business cases submitted by 12 agencies since last year’s annual report.
- The Eighty-fourth Legislature, through the General Appropriations Act for the 2016–17 Biennium (House Bill 1), provided QAT with additional oversight responsibilities.
- Agencies need to allocate adequate time to identify project requirements, negotiate with vendors, and perform user acceptance testing.