Main Stream Media has finally caught up to our story at TechLeader.TV that we broke on November 14, 2012: State Controller’s $370 million Payroll System Issues Erroneous State Employee Checks, Falls Behind Schedule (again).
The LA Times reports today:
Overhaul of California government payroll system at risk of collapse
The controller finds that the firm hired for the project is in over its head and may be unable to reach its goal. The system upgrade is five years overdue and has nearly tripled in cost.
SACRAMENTO — One of the state’s biggest technology endeavors, a $371-million overhaul of the government payroll system, is beset with problems and “in danger of collapsing,” according to the state controller’s office.
The company hired for the project is in over its head and may be unable to deliver on its promise to update a payroll system so old that even simple salary adjustments can tie it in knots, the controller’s chief administrative officer said in a letter.
The state has spent at least $254 million so far on contractors, staff salaries, software and more for the system upgrade, which is five years overdue and has nearly tripled in cost since lawmakers authorized it in 2005.
“The project … is foundering and is in danger of collapsing,” administrator Jim Lombard wrote to the contractor, SAP Public Services, in October. Lombard said the new system is not capable of processing “any portion of the state payroll population, let alone the full population of approximately 240,000 employees.”
Perhaps time to start over…again???
the la times report didn’t mention that this is the 2nd project delay for sap. The first delay occured last year – after months of negotiations the state rewarded sap with $15 million in “unbid deliverables.” does that concern anyone? check the SAP contract.