Foreign Affairs: Effort to Upgrade Information Technology Overseas Faces Formidable Challenges
Abstract
I am pleased to be here today to discuss the Department of State's efforts to improve the foreign affairs community's information technology infrastructure. As you know, the Overseas Presence Advisory Panel found that many of our embassies and missions are equipped with obsolete information technology systems, which prevent efficient communication and effective information sharing and storage. In particular, many systems within our embassies are incapable of simple electronic communications across department lines and most are disparate and not interconnected. When coupled with other problems, such as poor facilities and outmoded administrative and human resource management practices, these deficiencies were found by the Panel to seriously undermine effective representation of U.S. interests abroad. My testimony today will focus on (1) State's efforts to implement the Panel's recommendations and (2) the challenges and risk it will face as it proceeds. State has already begun providing leadership and reaching out to other federal agencies with overseas presence. At this point, State is in the early stages of planning for the common platform initiative-establishing preliminary project milestones, developing rough cost estimates, and formulating a project plan for upgrading information technology systems abroad. The detailed plan, which State intends to complete by September 30, 2000, is intended to define project goals, requirements, benefits/costs, schedule, and approval procedures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 22, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA378973
Entities
People
- Jack L. Brock Jr.
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office