OMB Outlines IT Reforms
December 9, 2010
| 6:54 PM
The Office of Management and Budget rolled out more than two dozen information technology reforms Thursday including a "cloud first" policy aimed at taking advantage of potential cost savings from delivering hosted services over the Internet.
OMB proposed 25 reforms including setting an 18-month deadline for underforming projects to either turnaround or be terminated. As part of this effort to reduce the number of troubled projects, the OMB plan also said that funding for major IT prorams will only be approved if they have a dedicated program manager and "fully staffed integrated program team," break large projects into smaller pieces that deliver "usable functionality" every six months, and include specialized IT acquisition professionals
In an effort to reduce costs and increase flexibility, the OMB has proposed using cloud computing technologies where possible. "The three-part strategy on cloud technology will revolve around using commercial cloud technologies where feasible, launching private government clouds, and utilizing regional clouds with state and local governments where appropriate," according to the report crafted by federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra.
To begin this effort, OMB is calling on agencies to identify three services that can be moved to the cloud, and move one of those services to the cloud within 12 months and the remaining two within 18 months.
In an interview, former Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who was closely involved in government IT issues as the former chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said he believes the reforms are "moving in the right direction." Davis, who is now director of federal government affairs for Deloitte & Touche LLP, said the Obama administration is putting some "muscle" behind efforts that many previous administrations have sought.
When asked about the focus on trying to recruit more IT professionals to the federal government, Davis said given the country's high unemployment rate, "a government job looks better." Though he added that government officials could face problems in recruitment down the road if President Obama's proposal for a two-year pay freeze for civilian federal workers is implemented.
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