The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has revoked its contract with Rhode Island-based consultancy The Alexander Group because its report on the state’s welfare system contained passages plagiarized from other sources.

In addition to withholding $450,400 in future payment of the $925,000 contract, the DHHS is demanding a refund of roughly $172,000.

“After thorough consideration of the performance of the provider and the remaining work outlined in the contract, DHHS has terminated their contract with the Alexander Group,” DHHS said in a statement Friday. “We determined there was value contained in the content that was produced under this agreement. But serious problems with citations in the text of two reports warranted both financial penalties and an end to future work to be performed under the contract.”