FEDERAL INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY -- FEDERAL INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:AGENCIES NEED TO ESTABLISHCOMPREHENSIVE POLICIES TO ADDRESSCHANGES TO PROJECTS'COST, SCHEDULE,AND PERFORMANCE GOALS* -- WHAT GAO FOUND -- WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY -- WHAT GAO RECOMMENDS -- ABBREVIATIONS -- RESULTS IN BRIEF -- BACKGROUND -- Laws and Guidance on Project Oversight Reference Rebaselining -- GAO Guide Includes Practices Applicable to Rebaselining -- ABOUT HALF OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'SMAJOR IT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN REBASELINEDFOR SEVERAL REASONS -- About Half of IT Projects Rebaselined -- Changes in Goals and Funding Stream Reported asPrimary Reasons for Rebaselining -- Several Rebaselined Projects Have ExperiencedSignificant Cost and Schedule Changes -- AGENCIES' REBASELINING POLICIESARE NOT COMPREHENSIVE -- CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- AGENCY COMMENTS AND OUR EVALUATION -- APPENDIX I:OBJECTIVES, SCOPE,AND METHODOLOGY -- APPENDIX II: COMMENTS FROMTHE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE -- APPENDIX IV: COMMENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OFHOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT -- APPENDIX V: COMMENTS FROM THEDEPARTMENT OF STATE -- APPENDIX VI: COMMENTS FROM THE NATIONALAERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION -- APPENDIX VII: COMMENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OFHOMELAND SECURITY -- APPENDIX VIII: COMMENTS FROM THE AGENCY FORINTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT -- APPENDIX IX: COMMENTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION AGENCY -- APPENDIX X: COMMENTS FROMTHE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION -- APPENDIX XI: SURVEYED PROJECTS WITH NUMBER OFTIMES REBASELINED AND REASONS FOR MOST RECENTREBASELINE -- REFERENCES -- ION TECHNOLOGY: OMB ANDAGENCIES NEED TO IMPROVE PLANNING,MANAGEMENT, AND OVERSIGHT OFPROJECTS TOTALING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS* -- WHAT GAO FOUND -- WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY -- RESULTS IN BRIEF -- BACKGROUND.

Prior Reviews on Federal IT InvestmentManagement Have Identified Weaknesses -- OMB's Management Watch List Is Intended to CorrectProject Weaknesses and Business Case Deficiencies -- OMB's High-Risk Projects Process Is Intended toCorrect and Improve Project Performance -- OMB's Role and Laws and Guidance on IT Project Rebaselining -- HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS TOTALING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009AREPOORLY PLANNED OR POORLY PERFORMING -- Hundreds of Projects Totaling Billions of Dollars WerePlaced on the Management Watch List for Fiscal Year 2009 -- Poorly Performing Projects Total About 4.8 Billion inEstimated Expenditures for Fiscal Year 2009 -- Several Projects Are Both Poorly Planned and Poorly Performing -- STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO IMPROVE THEIDENTIFICATION OF MANAGEMENT WATCH LIST AND HIGHRISK PROJECTS, BUT PROJECTS TOTALING BILLIONS OFDOLLARS STILL REQUIRE OVERSIGHT -- Management Watch List -- High-Risk Projects -- ABOUT HALF OF MAJOR IT PROJECTS HAVE BEENREBASELINED USING POLICIES THAT ARE NOT FULLYCONSISTENT WITH BEST PRACTICES -- About Half of IT Projects Were Rebaselined for Several Reasons -- Agencies' Rebaselining Policies Are Not Comprehensive -- APPENDIX I: GAO CONTACT AND STAFFACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- APPENDIX II:MANAGEMENT WATCH LIST PROJECTS -- APPENDIX II: REASONS FOR INCLUSION ON THEMANAGEMENT WATCH LIST BY AGENCY -- APPENDIX III : HIGH-RISK PROJECTS WITH SHORTFALLS -- APPENDIX III : HIGH-RISK PROJECTS WITH SHORTFALLS -- REFERENCES -- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED TO IDENTIFYAND OVERSEE POORLY PLANNED ANDPERFORMING PROJECTS* -- WHAT GAO FOUND -- WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY -- RESULTS IN BRIEF -- BACKGROUND -- Prior Reviews on Federal IT InvestmentManagement Have Identified Weaknesses -- OMB's Management Watch List Is Intended to CorrectProject Weaknesses and Business Case Deficiencies.

OMB's High Risk Projects Process Intended to Correctand Improve Project Performance -- POORLY PLANNED AND PERFORMING PROJECTSTOTAL AT LEAST 10 BILLION IN ESTIMATEDEXPENDITURES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 -- Hundreds of Projects Totaling Billions of Dollars ArePlaced on the Management Watch List Annually -- Poorly Performing Projects Total About 6 Billion inEstimated Expenditures for Fiscal Year 2008 -- Several Projects are Both PoorlyPlanned and Poorly Performing -- OMB HAS TAKEN STEPS TO IMPROVE THE IDENTIFICATIONAND OVERSIGHT OF MANAGEMENT WATCH LIST AND HIGHRISK PROJECTS, BUT ADDITIONAL EFFORTS ARE NEEDED -- Exhibit 300s Are Now Reported Publicly butTheir Accuracy and Reliability Issues Remain -- High Risk Criteria Are Being Applied More Consistently,but Questions Remain as to Whether All ProjectsAre Identified, Including Projects with Shortfalls -- Management Watch List and High Risk Projects Made Public,but Governmentwide Analyses Still Not Performed -- APPENDIX I:MANAGEMENT WATCH LIST PROJECTS -- APPENDIX II: HIGH RISK PROJECTS WITH SHORTFALLS -- REFERENCES -- STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD, NORM V.BROWN,CENTER FOR PROGRAMTRANSFORMATION BEFORE THESUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIALMANAGEMENT,GOVERNMENT INFORMATION,FEDERAL SERVICES, AND INTERNATIONALSECURITY,SENATE HOMELAND ANDGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE,JULY31, 2008, HEARING ENTITLED "OFF-LINEAND OFF-BUDGET: THE DISMAL STATE OFFEDERAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYPLANNING"STATEMENT:ACTIONS TO AVOID"IT"TRAIN-WRECKS:AN AGENDAFOR CHANGE -- PROGRAM CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT -- First, Require Effective Implementationof Fundamental Processes -- Focus on Rapid Deployment of Critical Detail -- An Annual Agency IT Report to CongressShould Already Be in the Mail -- VISIBILITY -- Transparency Is Lacking-Missing Is Provision of RelevantKnown, Program Status Information to All Stakeholders -- Conversely, Visibility Is Needed.

A New Exhibit 350 Would Go a Long Way -- Earned Value Management -- Nunn-McCurdy Certification -- INCENTIVES -- Contract Incentives -- Employee Incentives -- The Laws of IT PhysicsTM -- STATEMENT OF PAUL A. DENETT, FEDERALPROCUREMENT POLICY BEFORE THESUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIALMANAGEMENT,GOVERNMENTINFORMATION, FEDERAL SERVICES, ANDINTERNATIONAL SECURITY, COMMITTEE ONHOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTALAFFAIRS,UNITED STATES SENATE,JULY 31, 2008 -- PERFORMANCE-BASED MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS -- PROGRESS IMPLEMENTINGPERFORMANCE-BASED MANAGEMENT -- REPORTS ON AGENCY IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS -- CONCLUSION -- STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE KARENEVANS, ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT ANDINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, OFFICE OFMANAGEMENT AND BUDGET BEFORE THESUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIALMANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATIONAND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY, SENATEHOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTALAFFAIRS COMMITTEE (JULY 31, 2008) -- CAPITAL PLANNING AND INVESTMENT CONTROL -- THE MANAGEMENT WATCH LIST AND HIGH RISK LIST -- Performance Measures for Acceptable IT BusinessCases and Cost/Schedule/Performance in thePresident's Management Agenda Scorecard -- Cost, Schedule and Performance Management -- Solutions for Improving Managementand Oversight of IT Investments -- CONCLUSION -- TESTIMONY OF ALFRED GRASSO, THEMITRE CORPORATION TO THE COMMITTEEON HOMELAND SECURITY ANDGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ON THE SUBJECT OF"OFF-LINE AND OFF-BUDGET: THE DISMALSTATE OF FEDERAL INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY PLANNING" -- ORAL TESTIMONY OF THE HONORABLETHOMAS JARRETT, DELAWARE DEPT. OFTECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION "OFFLINEAND OFF-BUDGET: THE DISMAL STATE OFINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PLANNING INTHE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT" BEFORE THESUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIALMANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION,FEDERAL SERVICES AND INTERNATIONALSECURITY OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ONHOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTALAFFAIRS (JULY 31, 2008)*.

INDEX.