The City of New York Office of the Comptroller Bureau of Financial Audit
EDP Audit Division
Audit Report on the Development and Implementation of the Electronic Death Registration System By the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
7A03-073
June 23, 2003
AUDIT REPORT IN BRIEF
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the complete audit (Size: 659KB)
We performed an audit on the development and implementation
of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Electronic
Death Registration System. The system was designed to use Internet
technology to enable a completely automated death registration and
certification process, with capabilities of printing death certificates,
and permits for burial, cremation, and transportation of human remains.
Audit Findings and Conclusions
The Electronic Death Registration System does not
exist as a functioning system; therefore, we were unable to determine
whether the initial business and system requirements were met, whether
the design allows for future enhancements and upgrades, and whether
the system’s overall goals will be met. In addition, the method
used to procure system development services from IBM was inappropriate
for a project of this magnitude; the Department did not employ a
formal systems development methodology or an independent quality
assurance consultant during the IBM development period; and the
Department presented inaccurate information on the progress of system
development in the Mayor’s Management Report (MMR).
Audit Recommendations
To address these issues, the Department should:
- Ensure that it follows all applicable Procurement Policy Board
(PPB) Rules in its procurements. In that regard, all large systems
development projects should be awarded by competitive sealed proposals
and result in a formal contract that is registered with the Comptroller’s
Office. Such contracts should contain specific deliverables with
due dates and related costs as well as penalties for nonperformance;
- Comply with all applicable provisions of Comptroller’s
Directive 18 when developing systems. In that regard, the Department
should: employ a formal systems development methodology; engage
an independent quality assurance consultant; and ensure that executive
management support and sponsorship and an experienced project
manager are in place to oversee and coordinate the development
process; and
- Ensure that it provides accurate information to the Mayor’s
Office of Operations for inclusion in the MMR.
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