In the case of a computer science project of the Federal law firm, delays and higher costs threaten appointment. The basic difficulty with a foreign supplier. The problems raise fundamental questions about public procurement.
the goal of The computer science project of the modernization of the Federal legal platform, the daily visit of thousands of people. The existing System has reached the end of its service life. The platform manages the competence centre for Official publications of the Federal Chancellery.
the contract for the development of a new solution had obtained a company based in Greece. This provides not now, but as intended. The Swiss Federal audit office (sfao) has taken the project under the microscope and came to the conclusion that the desired objectives are not achieved. In a Monday report published they referred to the Situation as “delicate”.
Poor quality
The deadlines were exceeded by from two to six months, so that the life of the current system would have to be extended. The deliveries of the service provider does not conform to the specified quality criteria.
This will increase the price of the project. Were estimated to originally cost a total of CHF 14.7 million. Already in 2016, after the decision to outsource the development of an additional 4.2 million Swiss francs have been validated, such as the EFK writes. She fears that there will be further budget overruns. “In view of the current dynamics of the sfao assessed the Outlook as a little full of promise”, it says in the report.
According to the Federal office caused the delay so far in the Federal administration cost around 1.8 million Swiss francs. To not, lead to an increase in the compensation to the suppliers, the delay in holding the Federal Chancellery.
project management
The Federal administration that makes the EFK no allegations: Overall, the project is to be conducted well, she writes. The project documentation is of very high quality, the management processes to be adapted to the complexity. The risk management Organisation is appropriate.
the Problem is the cooperation with the supplier. The spatial distance to the developers in Greece, aggravating this, the EFK. Also in the working methods, the notion of commitments and priorities, there were “significant differences”. The Federal Chancellery has activated emergency plans. You think that, given the tense Situation with the supplier is justified, writes the EFK.
dubious procurement rules
The Federal Chancellery (BK) does not contradict the assessment: The difficulty with the supplier would result in delays and higher costs, she writes in her opinion. From the point of view of the BK these and other experiences with ICT-throw projects (ICT stands for information and communication techonologien) fundamental issues to public procurements.
The price of the assessment of the quotes to understand a high weight to the way she writes. Quality problems in the course of the project, but could lead to a high overhead in the Federal administration, the compensating of the supposedly lower price. “The procurement process is thus no guarantee that the overall most economic offer comes to train”, so the BK.
Swiss provider excluded
Especially in the case of tenders covering a longer period of time, would provider, with headquarters in Switzerland, because of the high hourly cost, in fact, excluded from the contest, the BK. In the case of applications that requested an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and a high level of proximity to the customer, but there is the danger that a development abroad go hand in hand with the quality of the services.
a Bad experience with a supplier should be able to be incorporated in the evaluation of offers for future procurements. The only way to better procurement could be achieved terms and conditions.
“Outsourcing” is not always useful
calls for The BK, and that the alleged efficiency of set gains of a external procurement, in relation to the effort required for the creation of the Treaty and its enforcement. “The question is whether the benefits of an Outsourcing strategy outweigh the disadvantages in comparison to an in-sourcing strategy in the area of ICT, indeed,” said the opinion.
A part of these questions is the subject of the ongoing total revision of the Federal act on public procurement. Other to be engrossed in the conversation between the procurement experts, the providers and the service recipients to the Federal administration. The CC recommends that the EFK, and in the case of audits of ICT projects “also questions like these:” to clarify. (fal/chk/sda)
Created: 02.04.2019, 02:52 PM
