Review of the Award and Administration of Task Orders Issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the Replacement Scheduling Application Development Program (RSA)

摘要

At the request of the Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, we conducted a review of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Replacement Scheduling Application (RSA) Development Program, which is also referred to in documents as the Scheduling Replacement Project (SRP). Specifically, it was requested that the OIG determine why there was not adequate internal oversight to prevent continued investment in what was ultimately a failed project. It was also requested that the OIG look into related concerns including VA's apparent inability to properly manage Information Technology (IT) projects internally, the impact of the failure of the RSA project on the HealtheVet initiative, and if the failure of the RSA program reflects endemic or systemic problems. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) determined the need to replace their VistA Scheduling System due to the age of the software as well as a 1998 General Accountability Office report concerning excessive wait times for veterans to schedule appointments. VHA decided to solicit internal proposals from within VA to study and replace the VistA Scheduling System with a Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) software program.