Federal Enterprise Architecture and Information Technology Management: A Brief Overview (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised July 15, 2005 |
| Report Number |
RS22194 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jeffrey W. Seifert, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Congressional policymakers are concerned about potential inefficiencies and inefficacies in the
operation of the federal government, particularly as it relates to decisions regarding information
technology (IT) investments. These concerns have increased as federal IT spending has grown to
more than $60 billion annually. One approach being implemented to address this issue is the use of
enterprise architecture (EA) planning across the federal government. An EA serves as a blueprint
of the business operations of an organization, and the information and technology needed to carry
out these functions. As an information technology management and planning tool, EA planning
represents a business-driven approach to information technology management that emphasizes
interoperability and information sharing. The Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) was started in
2002 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and continues to be developed today. The
FEA is composed of five reference models; Performance, Business, Service, Data, and Technical.
Each of the reference models represent specific aspects of the FEA and provide a "common
language" for departments and agencies to use in developing common technology solutions. Some
of the congressional oversight issues related to the FEA include, but are not limited to, ongoing
updates of the reference models, progress in aligning the EAs of individual departments with the
FEA, and the role of the FEA in developing a second generation of e-government initiatives. This
report will be updated as events warrant.
