QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM; DUTIES.

(a) The comptroller, state auditor, Legislative Budget Board, and department shall:

(1) create a quality assurance team to perform the duties specified in this chapter and other law;

(2) specify in writing the responsibilities of the comptroller, state auditor, Legislative Budget Board, and department in performing the duties; and

(3) create an automated project review system.

(b) The quality assurance team shall:

(1) develop and recommend policies and procedures to improve the development, implementation, and return on investment for state agency information resources technology projects;

(2) except as provided by Subsection (e), review a state agency's business case prepared for a major information resources project under Section 2054.303 and make recommendations to improve the implementation of the project;

(3) provide annual training for state agency procurement and contract management staff on best practices and methodologies for information technology contracts;

(4) review and provide recommendations on the final negotiated terms of a contract for the development or implementation of a major information resources project with a value of at least $10 million; and

(5) provide a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and presiding officer of the standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over appropriations by December 1 of each even-numbered year that includes:

(A) the performance indicator report required by Section 2054.159(a);

(B) a summary of any major issues identified in state agency reports submitted under Section 2054.159(f);

(C) an appendix containing any justifications submitted to the quality assurance team under Section 2054.160(d); and

(D) any additional information considered appropriate by the quality assurance team.

(c) The state auditor serves on the quality assurance team as an advisor.

(d) The comptroller by rule shall develop guidelines for the additional or reduced monitoring of major information resources projects and associated contracts of state agencies during the periods described by Sections 2261.258(c)(2)(A), (B), and (C).

(e) The quality assurance team may waive the review authorized by Subsection (b)(2) for any project for which the team determines that a waiver of the review is appropriate because of the project's associated risk.