BIPROGY, an information service company outsourced by the city, brought out a USB due to the temporary loss of a USB memory containing the personal information of about 460,000 citizens of Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture. Amagasaki corrected the explanation with the employee of the subcontracted company and announced that it was an employee of the company re-consigned by this company.
According to media reports, the city did not know about BIPROGY’s subcontracting, but on the Internet, there are concerns about security and criticism that such a consignment method may have led to high-cost orders in the first place. Are one after another. Recently, the problem of such “multi-layered contracts” has been pointed out more and more, and the Japan Fair Trade Commission has announced that it will strengthen its response to “hollowing out” that makes a profit without working. Is it done?
The city explained that it didn’t know about subcontracting …
Initially, BIPROGY Kansai branch subcontracted a part of the work to another company “Aifront”, and a male employee in his 40s copied the data to USB and took it out, drank it at a bar, and then on the street. It was said that he fell asleep at the hotel and lost it temporarily.
However, BIPROGY corrected this information in an announcement on its official website on June 26, 2022, revealing that ifront had re-entrusted it to another company.
When this is reported, on Twitter etc., criticisms on the security side such as “The quality of business will deteriorate” and “Is it possible to protect personal information like this?” There were voices saying that they might be there one after another. There are opinions such as “This is a hollow, isn’t it?”
According to media reports, Amagasaki City did not know about subcontracting, and Mayor Kazumi Inamura said he was considering compensation for damages due to breach of contract.
Regarding subcontracting to handle personal information, according to the March 2010 edition of the “Guidelines for Information Security Policy in Local Public Organizations” issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, it is “prohibited in principle”. That is, “generally, there is concern that the security level of the subcontractor will decrease if it is subcontracted.” And, “In exceptional cases where subcontracting is permitted, confirm that the information security measures of the subcontracting company are at the same level as other consigning companies, and allow the consigning company to secure it. Must be done. “
“It was an appropriate order amount considering the level of ability.”
Although Amagasaki City did not know that the outsourcer BIPROGY had subcontracted, it could not confirm that the outsourcer was doing its own business.
Regarding this point, the Digital Infrastructure Promotion Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications told J-CAST News on June 27, “I have not heard the situation of the city, so I do not know the details, but the contractor is doing the work. I think it was sloppy that I didn’t confirm that I was there. “
Regarding subcontracting, which is said to be costly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ administrative section responded to the interview that “the Local Autonomy Law does not have any particular restrictions.” The ministry’s administrative management support office also explained, “There are no special restrictions on costs.”
BIPROGY’s public relations department said on the 27th, “We are hearing from multiple people and confirming the facts, including whether or not there is an explanation to the city,” about why they were subcontracted or re-consigned. talked. As for why he did not initially approve the re-consignment, he explained, “I wasn’t hiding it. There was a place where I couldn’t confirm it in the hearing.”
On the 27th, the director of the administrative and legal department of Amagasaki City told the interview about why BIPROGY was subcontracted, “I haven’t heard about the situation so much and I don’t know.” He explained that BIPROGY couldn’t confirm that it wasn’t doing business on its own.
“I didn’t get a report that I was subcontracted first, and I heard that it was a BIPROGY employee, so I didn’t have any doubts. I don’t think it was sloppy, but I think the city is ultimately responsible for the entire business. I am. “
Regarding whether the order amount could not be made cheaper, he said, “I don’t know if it was made cheaper, but considering the level of ability, I think it was an appropriate amount.”
“Most of the work is highly specialized, but there is a possibility of throwing a ball in some areas.”
On the 29th, the director in charge of the Japan Information Industry Association (JISA), which is made by major information service companies, told the interview about why the contractors are subcontracting as follows.
“When procuring something that is unique to a company such as a subcontractor in a field with high technical expertise, or when it is necessary quantitatively such as having to arrange dozens of staff, subcontract to multiple companies. However, since the prime contractor has to manage and supervise the whole, it may not be possible to take responsibility, so recently, do not make a multi-layer contract. Subcontracting is becoming more and more restricted to subcontracting, such as primary and secondary. “
Regarding whether the trader may have the purpose of hollowing out, “There may be some places where you can throw the whole thing, but a solid business operator limits the consignment to the primary and secondary. I think I’m calling. “
Regarding the subcontracting this time, he pointed out as follows.
“I don’t think it’s an immediate problem because I don’t know the details yet. I think the point is whether the individual contracts are being fulfilled properly or whether the government is also checking the contract details. , You will have to clarify the responsibility of the contractor. Especially in the case of administrative work, when the contractor subcontracts, it should be stated in the contract to confirm with the government and obtain approval. In most cases, the contractor does not throw the whole thing and outsource it, but the subcontracting is limited to 50%, etc. If the business content is not done according to the contract, it is necessary to correct it. There is. “
In addition, on the 29th, the Fair Trade Commission released the “Fact-finding Report on Subcontracting Transactions in the Software Industry” that summarizes the results of a questionnaire survey of over 20,000 software companies, and to subcontracting by unnecessary “hollowing out”. It has been revealed that it will strengthen the detection of antitrust violations (abuse of dominant bargaining position) against the act of wrinkling.
According to the questionnaire, 26% of all the companies surveyed answered that they “have felt the existence of a hollow business operator.” JFTC is calling on each company to clarify the contents of the contract and streamline the supply network, which is pointed out as a “multiple subcontracting structure”.
(Hiroyuki Noguchi, J-CAST News Editorial Department)