Iowa selected SLI to provide QA and Management experts to improve DHS's ability to meet Federal ACA and state program eligibility requirements. SLI delivered a customized Agile project oversight protocol.
The Situation
The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) manages and operates the Integrated Eligibility (IE) systems that processes business rules to determine citizens’ eligibility for health and human services benefits, including Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Food Assistance and Family Investment Program (FIP), and other public assistance programs. By 2012, Iowa’s Automated Benefits Calculation System (IABC) had been in continuous operation since the late 1970s, supporting the state’s eligibility and benefit issuance obligations. IABC was outdated and generally unable to meet DHS needs. Further, applicants could not interact directly with the benefit determination system. These problems necessitated the need for numerous manual workarounds and created inefficient processes. DHS needed to replace IABC to address these limitations. The new system would also have to conform to the program eligibility framework of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
To address these issues, DHS initiated the Eligibility Integrated Application Solution (ELIAS) Project and began a five-year strategy to improve citizens’ eligibility determination experience by improving system accuracy, and to create a platform for future integration of other eligibility programs. To accomplish these goals, DHS sought contracts with a system integration firm, a PMO vendor, an IV&V vendor, and an experienced QA service provider. The QA service provider was tasked with providing QA services and staffing for three project management positions to manage risk, testing, and development to augment existing State roles and positions. DHS awarded at QA service provider contract to SLI.
While it was not explicit in the solicitation, SLI understood that DHS was open to innovative development methodologies and approaches, including Agile or an Agile hybrid. SLI recognized that the requested QA support was in complete alignment with our technical and functional expertise, and fit with SLI’s work with refining its oversight protocols from waterfall to Agile oriented projects.