Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, April 20, 2017
Ciber: Company Behind 7-Year HDOT Software Failure Files Bankruptcy
By News Release @ 12:55 AM :: 5877 Views :: Ethics, Hawaii State Government

HDOT RESPONDS TO CIBER BANKRUPTCY FILING AND CIBER COUNSEL’S REQUEST TO WITHDRAW FROM THE LITIGATION

News Release from HDOT, Apr 19, 2017

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) announced it will continue to pursue its claims against Ciber, Inc., a consulting firm that failed to deliver a software implementation project for the State, as a creditor in Ciber’s recent bankruptcy filing.

In a lawsuit pending since September 2015, HDOT has been litigating claims against Ciber for fraud, false claims, breach of contract and unfair competition stemming from Ciber’s misrepresentations and performance failures in connection with the failed implementation of a new financial software system for HDOT’s Highways Division.  Ciber abandoned the project in 2014 even though the software system was unfinished and unable to carry out essential HDOT functions. HDOT’s case described, among other contentions, how Ciber’s managers had admitted in internal reports that Ciber had submitted fraudulent and erroneous invoices and payment demands to HDOT.

Last year the Court denied Ciber’s attempt to dismiss HDOT’s fraud claims. Since then HDOT has vigorously pursued discovery against Ciber, obtaining additional documents highlighting Ciber’s misconduct, including that Ciber substantially underreported to the Hawaii State Ethics Commission certain lobbying expenditures.

Last month Ciber’s local counsel sought to withdraw from the case, as HDOT began work on motions to force Ciber to produce additional documents and information. Last week Ciber filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.

“Ciber’s bankruptcy filing is a vindication of HDOT’s decision to resist Ciber’s demands for payment, given that the system Ciber attempted to deliver was incomplete and defective,” stated Ford Fuchigami, Hawaii Department of Transportation Director. “HDOT will take all necessary steps to preserve its claims in Ciber’s bankruptcy case, and will consider additional measures to ensure that vendors and others who violate the public trust will be held accountable for their misconduct, and that the people of Hawaii will be protected.”

“Although the bankruptcy filing stays our pending litigation, we are actively looking into every legal option to make the State whole,” said Russell Suzuki, First Deputy Attorney General.

HDOT’s claims allege that Ciber pulled a “bait and switch” by misrepresenting its capabilities in order to land a contract to replace HDOT’s existing computer system with a new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system to run the State’s highway financial management operations. HDOT asserts that Ciber was unable to design and implement a system that could perform core functions, including obtaining reimbursements from the Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”).

According to HDOT’s claims, the fraud continued during the project, as reflected by internal Ciber documents that HDOT attached to its pleadings. In those documents, senior Ciber managers acknowledged submitting “erroneous invoices and fictitious change orders,” billing HDOT for work that Ciber knew was of no value, and deliberately under-staffing the Project to meet Ciber’s own internal profitability benchmarks.

HDOT is seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages, including fees it paid to Ciber, fees paid to third parties, and the costs of a replacement software system. HDOT’s fraud claims expose Ciber to possible punitive damages, and false claims and unfair competition claims expose Ciber to trebled damages.

###

2015: FULL TEXT: Hawaii DoT v Ciber

2015: State Sues Tech Firm for Buying Influence with Abercrombie Administration

2015: DoTax' Next Tech Disaster Takes Page from DoT's Last Tech Disaster

SA: State will press claims over failed DOT computer project despite bankruptcy filing

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT