Duly Noted ...

State asks judge to order Hewlett Packard to turn over missing computer documents

The state of Michigan has again asked a West Michigan court to order Hewlett Packard Enterprise to turn over materials from its failed Secretary of State computer project that were supposed to be provided to the state more than six months ago.

The unsuccessful project was supposed to replace aging computer systems at Secretary of State offices around the state. The state of Michigan terminated its contract with HPE for cause in August 2015, and sued HPE in Kent County Circuit Court a month later after the company failed to deliver on its $49 million contract.

In its request filed in Kent County Circuit Court on Monday, the state argues that it has “waited patiently for HPE to honor its obligations” under a previous agreement “but HPE has refused.”

Previously, the state was forced to seek court intervention when HPE refused to return source code relating to the project. In its November 2015 ruling on the dispute, the court granted the state’s request and ordered HPE to provide the source code.

In Monday’s filing, the state’s attorneys argued that the state has yet to receive documentation related to the system that HPE was supposed to turn over in October and that is critical to its ability to operate and maintain the small piece of the project that HPE developed.

“There is no reason why Michigan taxpayers should have to wait months to get their property back,” Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said. “We’re asking the court to intervene again so we can make sure we can provide the best possible services despite HPE’s inability to deliver on its commitments.”

The larger lawsuit brought by the state against HPE for breach of the contract continues to move through the court system.

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