Summary of LAO Findings and Recommendations on the 2013-14 Budget

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	Program	Budget Issue	LAO Finding Or Recommendation	Last Updated
Go Back	Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation	Strategic offender management system project	Withhold taking action on the proposed budget bill language until the Special Project Report currently under review by California Technology Agency is received.	5-29-13

Detailed Narrative
We recommend that the Legislature withhold taking action on the proposed budget bill language that would allow the Department of Finance to augment CDCR’s budget for the Strategic Offender Managment System (SOMS) IT project. We find that the Legislature should wait to take any actions on the project until it receives the Special Project Report (SPR) currently under review by the California Technology Agency. Based on our conversations with the administration, the SOMS project has experienced significant scope, schedule, and cost changes. Without the SPR, however, the Legislature cannot evaluate the costs and benefits of these changes. Once the SPR has been submitted, the Legislature can make an informed decision about any additional funding required for project completion.

Detailed Narrative

We recommend that the Legislature withhold taking action on the proposed budget bill language that would allow the Department of Finance to augment CDCR’s budget for the Strategic Offender Managment System (SOMS) IT project. We find that the Legislature should wait to take any actions on the project until it receives the Special Project Report (SPR) currently under review by the California Technology Agency. Based on our conversations with the administration, the SOMS project has experienced significant scope, schedule, and cost changes. Without the SPR, however, the Legislature cannot evaluate the costs and benefits of these changes. Once the SPR has been submitted, the Legislature can make an informed decision about any additional funding required for project completion.