EDITORIAL: The State of RI’s Technology Does Not Work. Let’s Fix It.

Monday, November 14, 2016

EDITORIAL

Presently, many of RI’s most important technology infrastructures don’t work. Some days you can’t register your car. For far too many on Election Day, voting was absurdly slow, violated basic procedures, and bordered on incompetence. As repeatedly reported, the UHIP (nearing) $500 million health benefits system is deeply flawed.

Moreover, it seems as if the state administrators who have the responsibility for managing these systems and to upgrade them are ill-equipped. They lack the specific technology expertise, they have no relevant education, and they themselves are neophytes when it comes to basic technology.

Between the state’s financial commitments to UHIP, HealthSource, Department of Motor Vehicles, and voting technology, Rhode Island has invested close to a billion dollars. And almost all of these dollars have gone to out-of-state concerns.

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Rhode Island needs a technology transformation in government consisting of three components.

First, Rhode Island needs to elevate the importance of its in-house technology infrastructure and management. Rhode Island needs to appoint a State Chief Technology Officer and that individual should be a cabinet level position.

Second, Rhode Island needs to change its procurement laws. The state is one of just five states that does not give in-state companies weighting when bidding for state work. So despite spending more than hundreds of millions in technology development, few of those dollars went to Rhode Island companies to develop the technology industry or create jobs. Ironically, the major tech contracts state government has engaged in is with gaming concern IGT (formerly GTECH).

Third, the public benefits of separation of powers was sold as having the impact of removing legislators from board and commissions, but there was another important benefit too -- having the legislature oversee actions by the executive branch. It was refreshing to see the House Oversight Committee review the failures of UHIP and one should hope the hearing was not election year theatrics, but will be the norm.

In May, Thom Guertin, the state’s chief information officer and chief digital officer told a government tech publication that the “state’s recent focus on private sector technology strategies, like agile development, is changing IT in the state.”

Previous to coming to the state of Rhode Island, Guertin served on the tech staff at the Boston Globe — not exactly a bastion of cutting edge technology infrastructure.

It is difficult to ask Guertin about the collection of technology failures as he has repeatedly refused to respond to press questions (or has not been allowed to do so).

With hundreds of millions and basic services at risk it is now time to do a forced-quit and restart of how Rhode Island manages and invests in technology. Could we do worse?

Related Slideshow: RI Leaders’ Questions for October 20 Hearing on “Botched” UHIP Rollout

RI Leaders' Questions for October 20 Hearing on "Botched" UHIP Rollout

EDITORIAL: The State of RI’s Technology Does Not Work. Let’s Fix It.

Related Slideshow: RI Leaders’ Questions for October 20 Hearing on “Botched” UHIP Rollout

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