by Mindy Aguon

Guam - It's been almost a year since the Government of Guam issued a request for proposal for the government's point of sale system and the entire matter has been tied up in a procurement protest. The POS runs the government's AS/400 accounting system and also serves other functions such as the Department of Revenue & Taxation's online services. The Governor's Office on Tuesday afternoon issued a statement responding to what they call an "inflammatory filing" from the Attorney General's Office regarding a critical and ongoing procurement issue that is with the Office of Public Accountability.

Data Management Resources has been the only vendor providing the financial data services to the government for years and was the only company to respond to the point of sale RFP. Governor's spokesperson Phill Leon Guerrero says the problem is when the company responded to the bid, it was beyond the government's estimate so GovGuam tried to cancel the RFP, which resulted in Data Management Resources protesting the cancellation. GovGuam then entered into negotiations to try to find a solution, resulting in the company bringing down the price by a half-million dollars.

The AG's Office apparently did not like the terms of the proposed settlement based on several allegations such as claiming that DMR was responsible for the intentional disruption of government data services earlier this year and deactivating financial information. Leon Guerrero says the settlement agreement was submitted to the AG's Office before it was signed, adding, "The AGO continues to resist our best efforts to settle this matter to ensure the integrity of the government's financial data system...the office said GovGuam can simply go back to pen and paper in the journalizing of all transactions", which Leon Guerrero says would simply shoot the government back to the 1970s.

Of note is that documents filed with the Office of Public Accountability also allege that the government discovered a highspeed, short haul fiber optic cable had been installed and connected to the GovGuam Data Center next to the Guam Police Department in Hagatna by DMR.

The Bureau of Information Technology determined that the connection, with other means, could give DMR unrestricted and uncontrolled access to procurement, payroll, human resources, account and financial data of the Department of Administration including the General Services Agency and Rev & Tax, plus the ability to manipulate data without leaving a footprint.