Department for Communities and Local Government – UK

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Department for Communities and Local Government - UK Project : FiReControl Project type : Integration of emergency services dispatch centres Date : Sep 2011 Cost : £460 GBP Synopsis : Efforts to integrate 46 regional emergency response control rooms with 8 integrated centres is abandoned after 6 years of effort and £460 GBP ($727) is spent.  Although const...
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BC Ferries

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. BC Ferries - Government of British Columbia - Canada Project : Fast ferries Project type : Design, build, deploy high speed ferries Date : Jun 2002   Cost :$460M CAD Synopsis : Driven in part by congestion problems being experienced at one of the main ferry terminals in Vancouver British Columbia, the government of British Columbia decided that a new fleet o...
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Victoria Police Department

The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Victoria Police Department - Australia Project : LINK Project type : Law enforcement assistance program Date : Apr 2011 Cost :$100M AUD Synopsis : Project aimed at implementing a new Law Enforcement Assistance Program to replace an 18 year old system are suspended for 6 months due to technical and cost related issues.  The implementation of a package sys...
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Department of Defence – Australia – Landing Craft

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Department of Defence - Australia Project type : Design and development of naval vessels Date : Feb 2011 Cost :$40M AUD Synopsis : Australian Defence Minister scraps a $40M project to build 6 new landing craft for use by the Australian Navy.  The boats were to be launched from a larger transport ships (HMAS Manoora and HMAS Kanimbla) which are already in serv...
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City of New York

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. City of New York - USA Project : CityTime Project type : Employee time recording Date : Dec 2010 Cost :$540M over original budget Synopsis : City's new time recording system for employees goes 10 times over budget and is delivered 6 month late. The 10 year project was originally estimated at $63M but ended up costing in excess of $600m.  Although the system...
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Virtual Border

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Dept. Homeland Security - USA Project: Secure Border Initiative Network Project type : Virtual border control system Date : Oct 2010 Cost :$1B Synopsis : The Department of Homeland Security refuses to renew a contract for the construction of a virtual border control system. Aimed at controlling the flow of drugs and weapons, the system was designed to levera...
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Queensland Health

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Queensland Health - Government of Queensland - Australia Project type : Payroll (ERP) Project name : Shared Services Initiative - LATTICE replacement Date : Jun 2010 Cost : $64.5M AUD direct cost + $1.2B AUD for 8 years of subsequent operations. Synopsis : In an effort to save costs, the Queensland Government initiated a "shared services" program in 2003. Th...
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National Offender Management Service

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. National Offender Management Service - UK Project type : Integrated offender management system Project name : C-NOMIS Date : Mar 2009 Cost :$375M Synopsis : Efforts to integrate prison and probation systems from different local authorities into one national system fail.  Despite a two year delay and life-cycle costs that have risen from $375M to $1.1B the UK...
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Department of Primary Industries – Australia

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Dept. of Primary Industries - Governement of Victoria - Australia Project type : Smart meters Date : Jan 2010 Cost :$2.25B AUD Synopsis : Costs to deploy smart electrical meters to all households and small businesses in Victoria, Australia balloon from $800M to $2.25B.  A review by the Auditor-General questioned whether the project could now deliver any value...
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Sydney Water

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Sydney Water- Australia Project type : Customer Management System Date : Dec 2009 Cost : $70M AUD Synopsis : Project to modernize and consolidate Sydney Water's Customer Management Systems runs into trouble.  Project is delayed by 18 months and exceeds its original budget by more than 100%.  Overruns and delays mean that the project's return on investment is ...
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