March 1, 2002: Headlines: Information Technology: GAO: Subcontracting: GAO: GAO evaluates Desktop Outsourcing at the Peace Corps and other agencies

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: Information Technology : Information Technology: March 1, 2002: Headlines: Information Technology: GAO: Subcontracting: GAO: GAO evaluates Desktop Outsourcing at the Peace Corps and other agencies

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-13-244.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.13.244) on Saturday, January 22, 2005 - 12:00 am: Edit Post

GAO evaluates Desktop Outsourcing at the Peace Corps and other agencies



GAO evaluates Desktop Outsourcing at the Peace Corps and other agencies

GAO evaluates Desktop Outsourcing at the Peace Corps and other agencies

Conclusions

The agencies we reviewed implemented seat management for a variety of reasons, including to (1) improve their IT management, (2) improve enduser support and productivity, and (3) obtain new or upgrade current technology. In addition, these agencies reported a variety of accomplishments resulting from implementing seat management, such as improved asset management and end-user support. However, they have not performed the analyses necessary to validate the overall results of this approach. Specifically, the agencies performed limited or, in some cases, no analyses of costs and benefits before implementing seat management and have not routinely monitored all actual costs or benefits. As a result, these agencies lack vital data to demonstrate actual investment results. Without these data, it is difficult to determine whether the benefits of seat management outweigh its costs and risks. Moreover, this lack of monitoring could impair the agencies’ ability to justify and implement future seat management investments. These agencies, and others considering future seat management investments, could benefit from the myriad lessons learned by organizations that have implemented seat management, such as the need for thorough preparation and planning, agency commitment, program and contract management, and continual communication. By applying the lessons learned in these critical areas and others, agencies considering seat management could more effectively plan their activities and reduce the risks associated with implementing such a relatively new concept.

Recommendations To determine to what extent their current seat management programs have achieved positive results, we recommend that the secretary of the treasury; administrators for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and directors of the Peace Corps, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Defense Logistics Agency each routinely monitor all actual seat management costs and benefits.

To provide for adequate justification of any future seat management investments, we recommend that the secretary of the treasury; administrators for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and directors of the Peace Corps, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Defense Logistics Agency each ensure that existing federal policy and guidance for information technology investments be followed when considering investments in information-technology-service outsourcing. Specifically, for future seat management investments, we recommend that these agencies

• baseline the current costs of the service being outsourced, including the cost of internal agency operations;

• perform an analysis of expected costs and benefits;

• perform an analysis of risks, including developing plans to mitigate risks identified;

• monitor actual costs and benefits as a basis for results accountability; and

• implement, to the extent feasible, the lessons learned that were identified in this report.

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation

We received written comments on a draft of this report from Treasury’s Departmental Offices and ATF, the Peace Corps, the Department of Defense, GSA, and NASA. Three agencies agreed with the findings or recommendations in the report, two did not indicate whether they agreed or disagreed, and NASA supported many of the findings but disagreed with portions of the report. We also requested comments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but none were provided.

The comments provided by Treasury’s Departmental Offices and ATF, the Peace Corps, Defense, and GSA varied in scope and detail. Specifically,

• Treasury’s acting director, Customer Service Infrastructure and Operations, Office of the Chief Information Officer, stated that Treasury’s Departmental Offices has implemented, or is in the process of implementing, our recommendations. Treasury also offered clarifying comments that we incorporated into the report, as appropriate. The comments from Treasury are reproduced in appendix IV.

• The director of ATF stated that its Office of Science and Technology had reviewed the report and had no comments at this time. ATF’s written response is reproduced in appendix V.

• The director of the Peace Corps did not address whether the agency agreed or disagreed with the findings or recommendations in the report, but offered clarifying comments that we incorporated into the report, as appropriate. The comments from the Peace Corps are reproduced in appendix VI.

• Defense’s deputy assistant secretary of defense (deputy CIO) stated that the department generally concurs with the recommendations in the report. Defense also included technical corrections that we incorporated into the report, as appropriate. The comments from Defense are reproduced in appendix VII.

• GSA’s chief information officer concurred with the findings in the report. The comments from GSA are reproduced in appendix VIII. Although NASA supported many of the findings, it disagreed with portions of the report. Specifically, NASA did not agree with our assessment that (1) its up-front cost analysis was not sufficient; (2) it did not track its internal seat management costs, citing its tracking of the full-time-equivalents associated with seat management; and (3) it did not adequately track benefits.

We disagree with these NASA comments. First, the problems with NASA’s up-front cost analysis were cited by the contractor the agency employed to conduct a postimplementation review. The report prepared by the contractor asserted that it was impossible to determine whether the agency is saving money with seat management because of the lack of a comprehensive pre-seat-management baseline. Second, while important, monitoring of full-time-equivalents does not provide the agency with a complete picture of internal costs associated with the implementation of seat management. As NASA officials acknowledged during the exit conference, the agency does not track the full costs of seat management, which would include internal cost items such as overhead and salaries and benefits. Finally, NASA’s efforts to track program benefits are not complete. Specifically, while NASA’s quarterly reports and postimplementation review address some of the agency’s expected seat management benefits, other expected benefits, such as potential improved staff productivity and efficiency, were not addressed. NASA also provided technical comments that we have incorporated in this report, as appropriate. NASA’s written comments, along with our responses, are reproduced in appendix IX. As agreed with your office, unless you publicly announce its contents earlier, we plan no further distribution of this report for 30 days from the date of this letter. At that time, we will send copies to the chairman and ranking minority member, Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs; chairman and ranking minority member, House Committee on Government Reform, ranking minority member, Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy, House Committee on Government Reform; and other interested congressional committees. We are also sending copies to the secretary of the treasury; administrators for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and directors of the Peace Corps, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Defense Logistics Agency, and the Office of Management and Budget; and other interested parties. We will also make copies available to others upon request.




When this story was posted in October 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

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The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference.

RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls.

Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate.

Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

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Story Source: GAO

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Information Technology; GAO; Subcontracting

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By Jimmy Fredrick (grt_ms_2.grt.esu3.k12.ne.us - 204.234.223.2) on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 - 4:20 pm: Edit Post

well hello their how is everyone


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