It's worse than Obamacare.
"$54m later, state computer contractor out" by Megan Woolhouse and Beth Healy | Globe Staff, October 04, 2013
The commissioner of the state Department of Revenue, Amy Pitter, vividly remembers her employees’ reaction during a disastrous test run last year for a $114 million computer system that was supposed to revolutionize the way Massachusetts residents file tax returns. The system couldn’t print forms or calculate interest and penalties, despite the fact the state had already paid $54 million on the project.
Who $old us that piece of crap?
“Holy cow, this is not good,” Pitter recalled. “This is horrible.”
So she eventually did what public officials rarely do when they are faced with substandard work by a contractor, in this case, Deloitte Consulting of New York. She fired them.
In a statement, Deloitte spokeswoman Courtney Flaherty said her company and the Department of Revenue “mutually agreed to terminate the contract when the project changed direction. We met our obligations and were paid for the work we performed.’’
How much does a corporate $hit-shoveler get paid anyway?
The department terminated Deloitte in August, just a month after another state agency — the Labor Department — rolled out its own Deloitte system, to handle unemployment benefits. Deloitte’s work on that project was two years late, $6 million over budget, and plagued with problems that left hundreds of jobless workers struggling to get benefits.
Of course, I was told it was just one person complaining and the things was working fine.
Labor Department officials said they considered firing Deloitte after it missed deadlines for delivering the system, but, unlike their colleagues in the Revenue Department, determined it would be too difficult or costly to replace the company in the middle of the contract. They ultimately agreed to pay Deloitte millions more to finish the project....
I'm wondering who in Massachusetts government knows someone at Deloitte.
Public officials often don’t fire consultants because it may involve acknowledging a botched project, damaging their own reputations, or igniting public ire over the costs, said Z. Vanessa Giacoman, managing partner at Panorama Government Solutions, a consulting firm in Denver. The result is often a lack of accountability by the contractor, even when projects are over budget and behind schedule, she said.
Yes, the government thinks it is BETTER if we do NOT KNOW they are WASTING OUR HARD-EARNED TAX LOOT -- because they might be embarrassed, look bad, and get us angry!
Yeah, let the looting go one and hope no one notices! Nothing makes one ANGRIER to the point of tar, feather, harbor!!!!
“In the private sector, these people would be fired in a second,” she said.
Lauren Jones, spokeswoman for the Labor Department, said in an e-mail....
Who cares what lame-a$$ $hit she offered up?
Later this month, the Senate Committee on Post-Audit and Oversight will hold hearings to examine the Labor Department contract and problems by claimants since the introduction of the system July 1, the committee chairwoman, Senator Cynthia Stone Creem of Newton, said Thursday....
Are we going to get any of our money back because you all just raised taxes on us?
--more--"
Also see: State Senate panel to look at jobless claim system
Looks like they will be investigating the DoR, too.
Also see: State Senate panel to look at jobless claim system
Looks like they will be investigating the DoR, too.
