What GAO Discovered
The U.S. Workplace of Personnel Administration (OPM) has accomplished a number of phases of its effort to modernize its Belief Funds Federal Monetary System (FFS). Amongst different actions, OPM outlined the challenge’s constitution, chosen a service supplier, and gathered necessities. Nevertheless, as proven under, OPM needed to lengthen the deliberate completion date of two upcoming milestones by 1 yr to October 2022 and October 2023. These milestones give attention to the transition to the shared service supplier and the brand new system. As well as, OPM elevated the estimated price of challenge improvement and implementation by $13.4 million to $71.9 million.
Standing of the Workplace of Personnel Administration’s (OPM) Monetary System Modernization
|
Section |
Accomplished or deliberate completion date |
|
Evaluation, Readiness, and Choice |
Accomplished September 2018 |
|
Engagement Section 1 |
Accomplished February 2020 |
|
Engagement Section 2 |
Accomplished September 2020 |
|
Migration Launch 1 |
Deliberate completion by October 2022 (initially estimated to be accomplished in October 2021) |
|
Migration Launch 2 |
Deliberate completion by October 2023 (initially estimated to be accomplished in October 2022) |
Legend:
_____ = milestones which have been accomplished
Supply: GAO evaluation of OPM’s documentation and interviews. | GAO-22-104206
OPM attributed the delay to a wide range of causes, together with poor documentation and inadequate employees experience concerning the legacy system.
OPM partially carried out key practices for utilizing a shared service supplier. Particularly, whereas OPM carried out danger assessments of the modernization, the assessments weren’t complete or didn’t precisely mirror the dangers this system was going through. Particularly, whereas OPM carried out beneficial assessments of the modernization, it didn’t tackle all recognized dangers. For instance, the chance evaluation throughout Engagement Section 2 didn’t mirror that OPM had not outlined service degree agreements for operations and upkeep; relevant steerage considers this omission a excessive danger at this stage. Additional, whereas OPM carried out beneficial critiques on the conclusion of every part, in two circumstances the company moved ahead on the modernization with out assembly outlined exit standards.
As well as, whereas OPM totally adopted main data know-how (IT) administration practices for necessities administration, it didn’t accomplish that for price and schedule estimation, and cybersecurity. Particularly:
- OPM didn’t totally undertake finest practices for creating program price and schedule estimates. Consequently, its estimates weren’t dependable.
- OPM adopted one key cybersecurity apply for techniques engineering and partially adopted 4 different practices. For instance, though OPM had recognized safety expectations for the migration part, the company had not outlined the extent of service to be equipped by the shared service supplier. Following these practices assist be certain that safety necessities and wishes are addressed all through the life cycle of the system.
Till the company totally implements acceptable practices, OPM will increase the chance that this system will incur schedule delays, price overruns, unmet efficiency targets, and cybersecurity shortfalls.
Why GAO Did This Research
OPM’s legacy monetary system, FFS, helps handle over $1 trillion in mixed property and helps over 8 million federal workers and retirees. Nevertheless, based on OPM, FFS is outdated and consists of unsupported software program. In fiscal yr 2017, OPM created the Belief Funds Modernization (TFM) Program to exchange FFS. In 2019, the company chosen a shared service supplier to supply the substitute system.
The Home report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 included a provision for GAO to look at OPM’s effort to modernize and substitute FFS. This report (1) describes the standing of OPM’s effort to modernize and substitute FFS; (2) evaluates the progress OPM has made in implementing key modernization practices for utilizing a shared service supplier; and (3) determines to what extent the TFM program has adopted main practices for necessities administration, price and schedule estimation, and cybersecurity. To take action, GAO analyzed related TFM program documentation; assessed documentation in opposition to key modernization practices; and in contrast this system’s necessities administration, price and schedule estimation, and cybersecurity to main practices. GAO additionally interviewed OPM officers.