DOE Needs To Strengthen Computer Performance Evaluation and Improve Documentation of Procurement Actions

Citation
General Accounting Office, DOE Needs To Strengthen Computer Performance Evaluation and Improve Documentation of Procurement Actions (EMD-82-71; B-203691) (Apr. 29, 1982).

Overview
The GAO reviewed automatic data processing (ADP) equipment acquisition policies at the Department of Energy (DOE) to address management's control over procurement of new ADP equipment.

The GAO found that, while DOE encourages installations to evaluate the performance of their equipment, insufficient procurement documentation often prevents adequate review of the acquisition process used by DOE management. To keep the high costs of investment in ADP equipment to a minimum, DOE procurements must be limited to those necessary for an efficiently managed computing environment. To create such an environment, it is necessary to identify current data processing requirements, resource demands, likely future changes, and the performance of computing equipment available.

The GAO] recommends that the [[Secretary of Energy should direct the Assistant Secretary for Management and Administration to strengthen ADP acquisition management by requiring DOE installations to certify in their procurement requests that they have available documentation on their computer performance evaluations and other major required procurement actions, such as validations of data processing requirements and analyses of alternatives to the procurements.

The Secretary of Energy should direct the Assistant Secretary for Management and Administration to strengthen ADP acquisition management by requiring DOE installations requesting additional ADP equipment to report to the Office of ADP Management on the nature, extent, and results of computer performance evaluations performed prior to acquiring new equipment. The Secretary of Energy should direct the Assistant Secretary, Administration and Management, to strengthen ADP acquisition management by requiring DOE installations to implement a computer performance management program, as recommended in Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 49, to measure and evaluate the performance of its computer facilities in support of management goals and objectives.