A California Board of Equalization project that will replace legacy tax systems created with out-of-date, 1980s technology, is expected to put out an RFP for the project in July, according to the Board of Equalization.
The Centralized Revenue Opportunity System, or CROS, project will replace the current Integrated Revenue Information System (IRIS) and Automated Compliance Management System (ACMS) and create an enterprise data warehouse, according to a Feasibility Study Report released by the BOE in May of last year. With the change the Board expects an estimated $200 million per year in additional revenue, more flexible and sustainable technology, and added service for customers and businesses interacting with the BOE, according to the report.
"This is an innovative solution," BOE External Affairs Director Jaime Garza said today in an email. "By replacing two old systems with a comprehensive system, we are creating an integrated data warehouse which allows us to partner with our sister agencies and seamlessly share information."
The CROS project will be funded by revenue generated by the project, with vendors required to provide up front funding for hardware, software and development and receive payment after the project results in revenue, according to the Feasibility Study Report. If the project fails to generate enough revenue, vendors will not receive full compensation, the report states.
"The vendor has to have skin in the game," Garza said. "New revenue must be generated and specific project deliverables must be met on time, otherwise the vendor will not be paid. This protects the taxpayer from costly project over-runs."
The vendor selected for the CROS project will provide a software product and customization and any necessary hardware, according to the FSR. The FSR states that vendors will work on project integration and change management, with BOE staff providing data migration and modifications.
While the FSR provided an initial plan that would have provided an RFP to the vendor community in February, feedback from the Department of General Services on the procurement process suggested that BOE changed the schedule. A draft of the RFP is now expected in July.
