Australian gov't dumps software contractors over feud

18.04.2006
The Department of Child Safety in the state of Queensland, Australia, has taken its integrated client management system (ICMS) back in-house after dumping Fujitsu and Onyx in a bloodbath that has seen around 20 contractors marched out the door earlier this month.

In September 2004, Fujitsu, Onyx and Microsoft were commissioned by the Department of Child Safety to deliver the design of the Carer Directory, the first of three phases of the new, integrated client management system based on Onyx CRM and Microsoft's .Net technology.

This design was delivered to the department in March 2005, but since then the project has taken an abrupt turn with staff being dumped to bring the project back in-house and to also use a Microsoft CRM package.

According to one source on the project, who requested anonymity, the cost of the system has already exceeded A$44 million (US$32 million).

The Microsoft coup has seen the termination of 20 contractors including programmers, testers and technical writers, the source said.

"Fujitsu and Onyx made big shows of getting in on this at the time, but it seems the mid-2005 deadline has been overshot and Microsoft has now stepped in," the source said.