Committee flags Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment upgrade for appropriations committee review, may seek testimony

A representative for Hunger Free Vermont and the Food Security Roadmap Coalition told the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee that the state's Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment (IE&E) modernization project may produce an implementation-cost request after the house budget process, and asked the committee to flag the item for the appropriations committee.

Committee members agreed to note they had received testimony and to flag the project in their draft letter so appropriators would expect a potential, springtime request. The committee heard that the Agency of Human Services (AHS) had closed an RFP for the next project stage and was evaluating bids; AHS finance staff said in an email they would be available to provide detail but were not available to testify at that meeting.

Why it matters: The IE&E system is the back-end eligibility and enrollment platform for many benefits programs. Committee members and stakeholder groups said successful modernization is important to allow Vermonters to access benefits, to maximize federal funding, and to streamline caseworker workloads. Witnesses described the project as long-running and complex and said a funding request could arrive after the house completes its budget.

Next steps: Committee staff said they would work with the stakeholder who requested the flag and with AHS staff to schedule follow-up testimony when a cost estimate is ready. The committee recorded language in its draft letter noting awareness of the project and willingness to hear status and next steps when available.

Ending: Committee members emphasized the project's importance to multiple human-services programs and urged appropriators to expect possible spring requests tied to final bid evaluations.