Information Technology: DOD Needs to Leverage Lessons Learned from Its Outsourcing Projects

摘要

Given the magnitude of its reported spending on information technology (IT) services more than $6.2 billion in fiscal year 2001it is critical that the Department of Defense (DOD) adopt effective practices for acquiring IT services. GAO researched leading commercial practices for the outsourcing of IT services, and, in November 2001, published a framework consisting of seven phases that span the full range of activities that are performed during the outsourcing of those services (this is an acquisition in which a client organization transfers responsibility for performing services to an external provider). of these endeavors. Percentage of Practices Implemented, by Phase GAO was asked to determine (1) the extent to which selected DOD projects for outsourcing IT services use leading commercial practices as specified in GAOs framework and (2) whether DOD is sharing lessons learned from its IT outsourcing projects across the department. GAO is making recommendations to the Secretary of Defense aimed at leveraging lessons learned across the department from its components IT outsourcing experiences. DOD agreed that capturing lessons learned related to IT outsourcing initiatives is important and stated that it intends to explore a variety of mechanisms to do so. DODs plans are consistent with our recommendations.