Originally published February 8 2015
Company that botched Obamacare website hired to build IRS Obamacare tax program
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) After throwing away hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars building what amounted to be a completely non-functional Obamacare website, Montreal, Canada-based CGI Federal has now been awarded a contract with the Internal Revenue Service to build a platform for processing its new Obamacare tax program, according to the latest reports.
The IRS has agreed to pay CGI $4.5 million to provide "critical functions" and "management support" for the new Obamacare tax program, which will fine taxpayers for not having health insurance. The contract was initiated last August and will run through the next August, more than likely with the same fate as Healthcare.gov.
The $4.46 million contract, to be precise, tasks CGI with performing many of the same functions it had been entrusted with for Healthcare.gov. The move, which many have dubbed foolish and irresponsible, has already prompted a response from some members of Congress who appear to be outraged over the decision.
"I am concerned that just months after the HHS [Health and Human Services] and Massachusetts firings, the IRS selected the same contractor to provide critical technology services related to the administration of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," wrote Representative Pete Roskam (R-IL), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee's oversight panel, in a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.
Last January, the White House fired CGI after it failed to construct a working website for Obamacare. According to an investigation by Turning Point Global Solutions, which was hired by HHS to review CGI's performance, the website was replete with roughly 21,000 lines of defective software code.
Not long after, the state of Massachusetts fired CGI, as did the state of Vermont, for similar reasons. Neither of the two states' websites, which cost $170 million and $66.7 million, respectively, ever worked properly. In Massachusetts, only 31,000 people successfully enrolled through the state's CGI-built website.
"Many of the vulnerabilities in information systems can be traced to software flaws and misconfigurations of system components," revealed government auditors following their investigation.
Congress demands more details into IRS decision to hire corrupt CGI
When asked why it decided to hire CGI in light of all these failures, the IRS did not respond. If the system isn't constructed properly, some people could end up paying more out of pocket for government-issued health insurance, or receive smaller-than-normal tax refunds.
In his letter, Rep. Roskam demanded further information about the IRS's decision. Specifically, he has asked for details about how the IRS plans to avoid a similar debacle with its own site, and who will be managing the process from start to finish.
"[A] description of when and how the IRS decided to hire CGI Federal, including the names of all IRS personnel involved in the decision-making process and a description of their roles in the process" is one of the demands. Others include details about "all internal communications, including, but not limited to, e-mail correspondence and memoranda, regarding the IRS's decision to hire CGI Federal; and a description of the controls the IRS has in place for this project to ensure that the problems associated with Healthcare.gov and the state exchange websites do not arise with this project."
In a separate statement, Rep. Roskam lampooned the CGI Federal hiring decision by the IRS as yet another reason why IRS funding cuts are in order, likening the agency's decision as being not the most "confidence-inspiring use of resources."
Sources:
http://dailycaller.com
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com
http://hotair.com
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