Budget Proposal for 21st Century Project Assessment Passes First Hurdle

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on State Administration on Tuesday unanimously approved Governor Brown’s budget proposal to fund a $2.4 million project to conduct an independent assessment of the failed 21st Century Project, also known as the MyCalPAYS system.   The assessment would review system designs, analyze what parts of the project are salvageable and determine how much it would cost to complete the project.

If the proposal is included in the final approved budget, the California Department of Technology will work with the State Controller’s Office on the the project, including issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to hire an independent contractor that will perform much of the work.    An RFP would be issued within a few months after passage of the budget, according to state officials testifying at the hearing.

The subcommittee budget analysis breaks down the proposal that includes:

• System Assessment Vendor – $1,750,000 – Contract to be awarded
• Department of Technology – $250,000 – Independent Project Oversight
• Department of Technology – $100,000 – Project Management Services
• SCO System Specialist Position – $125,000 – work with Department of  Technology
• Data Center Services – $228,000
• General expenses, communications, training and information technology – $8,000

The total cost of the assessment project is $2,461,000.

The MyCalPays project was halted in February 2013 after a troubled history that included a pilot that was riddled with errors, ending with the termination of vendor SAP’s $90 million contract.

In March, the Legislative Analyst’s Office issued a report calling for an independent assessment saying the state has backed off over fears that findings could impact a pending lawsuit against SAP.   Governor Brown included the additional funding last week in his May revision budget proposal.