Government Information Technology Management: Past and Future Issues (The Clinger-Cohen Act) (CRS Report for Congress)
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Release Date |
Jan. 15, 2002 |
Report Number |
RL30661 |
Report Type |
Report |
Authors |
Jeffrey W. Seifert, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Government reform and improved management of public resources have been a common theme
in
congressional policymaking over the past decade. This report provides an overview of the
Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA) of 1996, or as it is better known, the
Clinger-Cohen Act. Although the Clinger Cohen Act is a combination of the Federal Acquisition
Reform Act (FARA) and the ITMRA, this report focuses on the information technology procurement
and management reforms only.
At the time of its passage, ITMRA reflected a growing concern that the federal government was
not prepared to successfully make the necessary information technology investments to streamline
agencies and improve mission performance. The ITMRA repealed the Automatic Data Processing
Act of 1965, or as it is better known, the Brooks Act. The goal of the Brooks Act was to reform
federal information technology procurement by concentrating purchasing authority within the General
Services Administration (GSA). However, prolonged acquisition cycles and rapid changes in
technology eventually diminished the effectiveness of the "one-size-fits-all" approach of the Brooks
Act.
The major provisions of ITMRA include: eliminating GSA's role as the primary
agency for
setting policy and regulations for federal information technology procurement, mandating the creation
of a chief information officer (CIO) in all of the major federal agencies, establishing goals and
reporting requirements for the reduction of costs and increase in efficiency through improved
information management, and creating two pilot programs ("Share-In-Savings" and "Solutions-Based
Contracting") to test alternative acquisition approaches.
Several years later some of these issues still have not been completely resolved. Agency efforts
to follow through on the CIO provisions have been mixed. Non-competitive salaries, high turnover,
organizational inertia, and budgetary control issues have been obstacles to implementation. The
development of annual performance plans to evaluate the value of information management have been
delayed due to measurement problems . In addition, little progress has been made to utilize the
"Share-In-Savings" pilot program for information technology procurement. Some observers believe
this is the result of an inability to measure baseline costs, poor project selection, and lack of agency
incentives.
Looking ahead, as Congress has become increasingly interested in the Internet and information
technology issues, it is possible that some provisions of the Clinger-Cohen Act and closely-related
new concerns may receive attention in the 107th Congress. Some of these issues include the use of
reverse auctions to lower procurement costs, the possibility of creating a position for a federal CIO,
and the potential need for chief technology officers (CTO) as interest in electronic government and
the delivery of services to citizens via the Internet grows.