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CalSTRS Gives Final Updates Ahead of Benefit Connect Go‑Live; UAT Behind but Projected On Track
Summary
CalSTRS staff reported progress toward deployment of the Benefit Connect pension solution, with user acceptance testing at 77% passed and a tentative go‑live date of Sept. 25; staff and independent oversight said remaining work and dry runs should allow the schedule to be met.
CalSTRS staff and independent oversight provided a status update on the pension solution project (Benefit Connect) and described the activities leading to a tentative go‑live date of Sept. 25.
Project director Anthony Sweeney told the board that user acceptance testing (UAT) began in September 2024 and is now 100% executed but currently 77% passed. The team plans regression testing and a second full dress rehearsal in June to validate improvements identified in a prior dry run. The implementation calendar shows a phased shutdown of legacy transactional systems; the employer portal and member self‑service portal will be disabled before conversion, legacy systems will shift to read‑only, and data conversion is scheduled to take up to 13 calendar days.
Articulating budget context, Sweeney confirmed the strategic‑plan costing presentation’s project‑to‑program estimate (about $23 million of the plan’s mid‑point total) reflects establishing an internal division to support Benefit Connect post‑go‑live. The estimate includes about 39 permanent positions and a ~$3 million transitional gap fund to absorb project-funded staff as the project ends. Staff said they will refine staffing and cost plans for board review in September and are seeking a contract extension with the project services partner for business transition into maintenance and operations through June 30, 2027.
Independent project oversight (Guidehouse) said it was comfortable with the overall approach, noted the lower UAT pass percentage reflected a relatively small set of test scripts (around 430) and that the qualitative details of outstanding tests will determine any go‑live implications. Oversight and project staff said they will continue to educate decision makers on go‑no‑go criteria and report back before deployment.
