Information Technology: Agencies Need to Improve the Implementation and Use of Earned Value Techniques to Help Manage Major System Acquisitions

摘要

In fiscal year 2009, the federal government planned to spend about $71 billion on information technology (IT) investments. To more effectively manage such investments, in 2005 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to implement earned value management (EVM). EVM is a project management approach that, if implemented appropriately, provides objective reports of project status, produces early warning signs of impending schedule delays and cost overruns, and provides unbiased estimates of anticipated costs at completion. GAO was asked to assess selected agencies' EVM policies, determine whether they are adequately using earned value techniques to manage key system acquisitions, and evaluate selected investments' earned value data to determine their cost and schedule performances. To do so, GAO compared agency policies with best practices, performed case studies, and reviewed documentation from eight agencies and 16 major investments with the highest levels of IT development-related spending in fiscal year 2009. GAO is recommending that the selected agencies modify EVM policies to be consistent with best practices, implement EVM practices that address identified weaknesses, and manage negative earned value trends. Seven agencies that commented on a draft of this report generally agreed with GAOs results and recommendations.