RI Superior Court orders HPE to continue work for DMV

Decision keeps pressure on vendor to finish computer project

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island officials applaud the decision announced this afternoon by a Superior Court judge to issue a temporary restraining order in the State of Rhode Island’s lawsuit against Hewlett Packard Enterprise (PC 2016-5110).

“I am very pleased with today’s ruling. I will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect Rhode Island’s taxpayers against a vendor that has tried to hold our project hostage,” said Governor Gina M. Raimondo.

In his decision, Judge Silverstein granted the state’s request to keep HPE working on the Rhode Island Modernization System – a computer system that will replace the decades-old mainframe computer system now in use by the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.

Robert S. Hull, director of the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, said: “The judge’s ruling today keeps the Rhode Island Modernization System on course for completion in the coming weeks. It is incomprehensible that Hewlett Packard Enterprise would seek to bail on its obligations so close to the finish line. The ruling maintains the DMV’s access to the completed portions of RIMS and keeps HPE employees working at the job they promised to finish.”

About the Department of Revenue:
The mission of the Rhode Island Department of Revenue is to administer its programs, and consistently execute the laws and regulations with integrity and accountability, thereby instilling public confidence in the work performed by the department. The department consists of four state divisions; Lottery, Motor Vehicles, Municipal Finance, and Taxation, as well as the Office of Revenue Analysis. The department employs 521 full-time equivalent positions with a Fiscal Year 2017 budget of $502.6 million.