The Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) leads a diverse list of major social services IT contracts planned by the states in 2008, according to a newly released report by INPUT, the authority on government business. The ten opportunities examined in the report represent $1.4 billion in total spending — an increase of more than $1 billion over the top ten opportunities of 2007. The TIERS program out of Texas represents $800 million of the total. However, INPUT expects major social services integration projects like TIERS to be common among the top contracts for the foreseeable future.
“The Texas TIERS project is essentially a re-compete coming out of the troubles that the state has experienced with previous vendors over the last few years,” said Sherry Ashby, principal analyst for health care and social services at INPUT. “If a team of vendors can come in and get this project back on track, they will really make a name for themselves as other states look into overhauling their welfare systems.”
The major programs examined in the report provide a variety of opportunities in terms of impact and contract value, ranging from major integration, case management, eligibility determination, and child support processing and disbursement projects. Colorado (electronic benefits) and North Carolina (women, infants, and children) are blazing the trail for multi- state efforts that will position winning vendors for follow-on opportunities in other states. Nine different states are represented among the top ten opportunities.
“The diversity of states and systems on this list gives vendors multiple doors to knock on,” said Ashby. “This year is a good example of what we will see going forward. Every state has work to do on multiple systems in the social services vertical. So, if vendors are patient and build relationships with an eye toward the long-run, they can look forward to winning business now and for years to come with each new phase of modernization.”
INPUT’s Top Ten State Social Services Opportunities of 2008 INPUT/Output(R) report is available to INPUT Network(TM) members. For more information on becoming a member, call 1-888-99-INPUT or submit an online information request.
