Information Technology: Additional Actions and Oversight Urgently Needed to Reduce Waste and Improve Performance in Acquisitions and Operations
Abstract
The federal government invests more than $80 billion annually in IT. However, these investments frequently fail, incur cost overruns and schedule slippages, or contribute little to mission-related outcomes. This underperformance of federal IT projects can be traced to a lack of disciplined and effective management and inadequate executive-level oversight. Accordingly, in February 2015, GAO added improving the management of IT acquisitions and operations to its high-risk lista list of agencies and program areas that are high risk due to their vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or are most in need of transformation. GAO was asked to testify on its designation of the management of IT acquisitions and operations as a federal high-risk area and the impact of recent legislation on IT acquisition reform. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on its previously published work in these areas. From October 2009 through December 2014, GAO made 737 recommendations to OMB and agencies to improve the management and oversight of IT. As of January 2015, only about 23 percent of these had been fully implemented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 10, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1170628
Entities
People
- Carol Cha
- Chris Businsky
- Dave Hinchman
- David A. Powner
- Jessica Waselkow
- Kaelin Kuhn
- Kevin Walsh
- Lee Mccracken
- Scott Borre
- Valerie Melvin
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office