What Floats the Quality Assurance Team's Boat?
Richard Corbell
Legislative Budget Board
QAT Crew and Wheelhouse
Quality Assurance Team
“Who is the crew?”
The crew is comprised of three representatives from the LBB, SAO, and DIR.
QAT email address is qat@lbb.state.tx.us
Primary Contact
Secondary Contacts
Richard Corbell
Legislative Budget Board
Ralph McClendon
REJ Building, 5th Floor
1501 N. Congress
Austin, TX 78701
512-463-1200
State Auditor’s Office
REJ Building, 4th Floor
1501 N. Congress
Austin, TX 78701
512-936-9500
Rose Wheeler
Department of Information Resources
300 W. 15th, Ste. 1300
Austin, TX 78701
512-936-5900
Quality Assurance Team
We hear hollerin’ from atop the crow's nest of your vessels.
“What purpose does the QAT serve?”
Review the status of major information resources projects (Texas
Government Code §2054.003), and make recommendations to the
legislature to reduce risk of project overruns and failures
Risk for the purposes of the QAT is defined as the likelihood that a project
will not deliver a quality solution based on the timeline, budget, and scope
commitments made to legislature when submitting the Legislative
Appropriations Request (LAR)
Quality Assurance Team
We hear hollerin’ from atop the crow's nest of your vessels.
“Which technology projects are addressed?”
(A) any information resources technology project identified in a state
agency's biennial operating plan whose development costs exceed
$1 million and that:
(i) requires one year or longer to reach operations status;
(ii) involves more than one state agency; or
(iii) substantially alters work methods of state agency
personnel or the delivery of services to clients; and
(B) any information resources technology project designated by the
legislature in the General Appropriations Act as a major
information resources project
Quality Assurance Team
“What is in the QAT’s wheelhouse?”
Perform project oversight activities which includes reviewing major
information resources projects and approving projects before
expenditure of appropriated funds based on analysis of project risks
Report to state leadership the status of major information resources
projects
Review list of projects that meet the criteria of a major information
resources project, including determining which projects should be
monitored and the frequency of monitoring
Perform approval of contract amendments that change the total value
of the contract or any element of the contract by more than ten percent
for contracts that have a total value in excess of $1 million
Quality Assurance Team
“What responsibilities lay outside the QAT’s wheelhouse?”
Contract review
Solicitation review – these reviews are performed by the Contract
Advisory Team (CAT)
Project management – all agencies are responsible and accountable for
project management practices and outcomes
Technical assistance
Note: The Department of Information Resources (DIR) provides consultation
services to agencies, while recognizing that agencies are ultimately accountable
for project outcomes
Ralph McClendon
State Auditor’s Office
QAT Cargo Area
Quality Assurance Team
“What is in the QAT’s cargo area?”
• 53 Projects in State Portfolio
$407,066,940 millions
• 9 Projects Complete FY 08
$84,257,437 millions
• 40 Projects Monitored
$317,779,503 millions
• 4 Other Projects
– In Review, Canceled or Waived
Note: Does not include HHSC’s Enhanced Eligibility System
Quality Assurance Team
“What is in the QAT’s cargo area that is listing?”
16 projects are at least 10% over budget
– Total initial estimated costs: $76,511,785 millions
– Total current estimated costs: $115,182,992 millions
27 projects are past their end date by at least 10%
– End date increased by an average of 127% or with a
schedule shift of approximately 20 months!
Quality Assurance Team
“What is a cargo area without navigational processes?”
Adopted a Charter which represents a common understanding of the authority and
responsibilities of the Quality Assurance Team
- establishes basis for determining and fulfilling all actions executed by the QAT
Established a Policy and Procedures Manual that presents the entire scope of QAT
processes
- represents the structure by which QAT currently conducts project oversight
Information: www.qat.state.tx.us
Rose Wheeler
Department of Information Resources
Agency Barnacles
Quality Assurance Team
“What types of barnacles live in the bay?”
During initial establishment of a major information resources project,
planning an inordinately long time frame for completion and an extremely
wide project scope
Initiating a major information resource project in a non-prescribed manner
Confusing QAT responsibilities with agency responsibilities for project
activities or outcomes and decisions
Quality Assurance Team
“What do these barnacles eat?”
Utilizing the Texas Project Delivery Framework as the end-solution for project
management – Framework does not equal project management
Failing to satisfy the statewide requirements for project management
practices as defined in Texas Administrative Code §216
Omitting development and use of contract management practices AND project
management practices
Framework Alignment with QAT and Agency Practices
LEVELS
QAT Project Scorecard
QAT
Framework
Project
Approval
Project Review and Monitoring
Business Justification
Project Planning , Solicitation and Contracting, Project
Implementation
Project Management Dashboard
PMM
Initiation
Plan
Execute
Control
Closeout
Initiation
Plan
Execute
Control
Closeout
STANDARD
PMI Model
PROCESSES
Benefits
Realization
Quality Assurance Team
“How do barnacles grow?”
Misinterpreting QAT actions which are:
- Make legislative recommendations
- Make project recommendations
- Request project information
- Request Corrective Action Plan
- Request project audit or assistance
- Take no action
Attempting to exceed project scope and quality expectations
Failing to communicate vendor performance issues that affect project
outcomes
Posting solicitations without effective project planning
Thank You, Mates!
Questions?