Department of Information Resources

Final Results of Last Sunset Review

The following material summarizes results of the 2012-2013 Sunset review of the Department of Information Resources and the Texas Procurement and Support Services Division at the Comptroller’s Office, including statutory changes made through House Bill 2472 (83R). For additional information see the Department of Information Resources and Comptroller Procurement and Support Services Division Sunset Final Report with Legislative Action.

Continuation, Coordination, and Future Evaluation

• Continues DIR for eight years and requires DIR to establish a customer advisory committee.
• Retains the Division’s functions at the Comptroller’s Office for eight years.
• Requires formalized coordination and improved data collection between DIR and the Division to allow for a more complete evaluation of their procurement programs in 2021.
• Requires the Sunset Commission to evaluate the State’s overall approach to procurement and contracting in 2021 to coincide with the next DIR and Division Sunset reviews.

DIR Cost-Recovery Programs

• Requires DIR to establish clear procedures for setting, adjusting, and approving administrative fees for each of its cost-recovery programs as part of its annual budget process.
• Requires DIR to report its administrative fees and the methodology used to set them to the Legislative Budget Board annually, and post all fee information on its website.
• Establishes each of DIR’s accounts in statute and limits expenditures to program purposes.

DIR Contracting Practices

• Strengthens and improves the Board’s oversight of DIR’s contracting functions.
• Establishes stricter conflict-of-interest provisions in DIR’s statute.
• Requires DIR to consistently measure and report cost savings and project status for IT consolidation projects.
• Requires DIR to establish formal contract governance structures and management plans for each of its major outsourced contracts.
• Directs DIR to develop a clear policy governing the appropriate use of staff augmentation contractors and outside consultants.
• Requires DIR to better maximize the State’s buying power through the agency’s cooperative contracts program.
• Requires DIR to create a contract management guide to provide a clear, overall approach to managing its major outsourced contracts.
• Requires DIR to develop and implement an agencywide training policy for all staff involved in contract management and Board members.
• Requires DIR to respond to Contract Advisory Team feedback on solicitations.

DIR Internal Audit

• Requires DIR to establish an Internal Audit Division.
• Requires the DIR Board to maintain an audit subcommittee.

Standard Sunset Review Elements

• Applies the standard Sunset Across-the-Board requirement for DIR to develop a policy regarding negotiated rulemaking and alternative dispute resolution.
• Continues all of DIR’s reporting requirements, but changes the due date for the Texas.gov reporting requirements.
• Abolishes the Division’s report on Texas Correctional Industries products sold and continues the Division’s other reports.
• Modifies the due date of the Division’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Education and Outreach Report and modifies the due dates and updates the recipients of the Annual and Semi-Annual HUB Reports.