Guam shifts to new financial system amid data migration, contract costs and user complaints

The Department of Administration told the Guam Legislature’s Committee on Finance and Government Operations on June 19 that it is continuing phased implementation of the Guam Financial Management Information System (GFMIS) and working through data migration and user issues.

The new system is now the department’s primary accounting platform, Director Edward Byrne said, and agency staff are being moved from legacy systems as data mappings and a large “data cleanse” proceed. "This involved close to 5,000 accounts with large balances," CFO Theresa Rivers said, describing migration work and user feedback the department has been addressing.

Why it matters: The new cloud-based FMIS centralizes accounting and payroll and is a core control used by bond rating agencies and auditors. Byrne told senators the system’s performance and improved controls were cited positively by Moody’s in the government’s bond-rating process — and that stability in financial reporting underpins borrowing costs and oversight.

Most important facts: Rivers said the GFMIS contract was front-loaded with higher vendor payments in the early implementation years and that those payments decline as the contract shifts toward maintenance: "One of the big ticket items is the $7,000,001 on the GFMIS contract in 2025. And that now turns into $3,876,005.75 in 2026." Byrne added that the total contract value had been reported at about $31 million and that the current budget entries are the annual installments against that larger contract.

Department officials described three main implementation challenges: mapping legacy data from an AS/400-style system into a relational cloud system, closing gaps where line agencies still use older systems (notably revenue and certain public-health systems), and responding to user service requests about navigation, access and invoice uploading. "When we migrate financials or accounts from the old system to the new system, we need to ensure the mappings are correct," Rivers told the panel.

Officials also described operational improvements already in place: expanded agency access to upload invoices, payroll deduction remittance improvements, and a paperless payroll and personnel action workflow for many agencies. Byrne said he now uses the new FMIS in preference to the legacy system: "The new FMIS system, I don't use the old system at all now. I only use the new system; it's in the cloud. You can access it anywhere." He and Rivers both said further training and follow-up with agencies remain priorities.

Questions from senators focused on remaining legacy interfaces and costs. Byrne said revenue data still resides on the AS/400 and that the department is evaluating proposals to upgrade interfaces for Department of Revenue and Taxation receipts. He said the department may later request additional funding if upgrades are needed beyond the current fiscal 2026 request.

Where things go next: DOA said it will continue to triage user service requests and pursue change orders for unresolved interfaces. The committee and DOA agreed to follow up with demonstrations for senators and invited agency staff to be part of future briefings so that lawmakers and managers can see the system in operation.

Ending note: DOA officials asked for continued coordination from agencies during the migration, noting the system’s long-term benefits to budget monitoring and cash-management once the remaining interfaces and account mappings are completed.