Over 1900 satellite agreements sealed during SAAQclic's f ring will undergo scrutiny
Digital Transformation Fiasco: The Hidden Costs of SAAQ's SAAQclic
The SAAQ's digital transformation project, SAAQclic, has been plagued with unexpected expenses, and a recent investigation reveals that the total costs of the "satellite contracts" linked to this project remain shrouded in mystery.
Our site reported this week that over 1,800 IT contracts have been awarded by the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) since 2010. These contracts, part of the digital transformation project hearings, are so numerous that the commission's legal team hasn't even identified all the contractors involved yet [1].
Prosecutor Charlotte Deslauriers-Goulet explained that these contracts are like "birds flying very close, following close behind like a magnetic pull," attached to the massive "locomotive" of the SAAQclic project [1]. Among these contracts are strategic consulting mandates, technical support during project development, and post-project management, including addressing the SAAQclic winter 2023 debacle.
While the total cost for these additional contracts is still undisclosed, Deslauriers-Goulet warns that it represents "significant amounts" [1]. The initial budget for the main alliance contract was $458.4 million in 2017, but subsequent amendments added $153.7 million, bringing the total to over $612 million before considering these satellite contracts [1].
The Quebec Auditor General estimated that the overall digital transformation project would cost at least $1.1 billion by 2027, which is $500 million more than the originally planned budget [1]. It remains unclear if the 1,800 satellite contracts contribute to this overrun or to what extent.
Former SAAQ administrator Jude Martineau was interviewed during the hearings, stating, "We trusted too much in the then-CEO, Nathalie Tremblay, to manage a project of this magnitude" [2]. He suggested that a neutral IT expert could have provided valuable oversight during the project's development.
Amid personal reasons for leaving the board, Martineau claims he left without fully understanding the SAAQclic debacle when he witnessed the long lines at SAAQ service centers on television, stating, "I was truly surprised." [2]
References:[1] http://www.lapresse.ca/people/actualites-people/20230507/02-01-secr-scandale-saaq-la-peine-de-garde.php[2] http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/20230509/01-01-jude-martineau-le-saaqclic-avec-la-guide-de-carte-dun-faiseur-dilemmes.php
- The staggering number of satellite contracts awarded by the SAAQ for the digital transformation project, SAAQclic, is a significant part of the industry's finance landscape, with Prosecutor Charlotte Deslauriers-Goulet indicating that the costs represent "significant amounts."
- The SAAQclic project, with its history of unexpected expenses and a total cost that remains mystery for satellite contracts, has raised concern among business circles about the proper management of digital transformation projects in the finance industry.
