Information Resources: Management Improvements Essential for Key Agriculture Automated Systems
IMTEC-90-85
Published: Sep 12, 1990. Publicly Released: Sep 12, 1990.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service's (ASCS) two major information resources management projects, focusing on: (1) the costs and schedule delays for the Grain Inventory Management System (GIMS) and Processed Commodity Inventory Management System (PCIMS); and (2) how ASCS monitored and managed disk capacity to determine upgrades for minicomputers in its county offices.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | Because of the management and oversight problems evident in ASCS automation projects, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator, ASCS, to improve project management and oversight for new information systems development or enhancement projects by ensuring that: (1) information needs are sufficiently identified to describe the scope and magnitude of software systems projects before advancing to the development phase; and (2) project size and scope are reasonably controlled. |
Closed – Implemented
ASCS has started regular training of its senior managers, project manager, and other staff in project management methodology and software packages.
|
| Department of Agriculture | Because of the management and oversight problems evident in ASCS automation projects, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrators of ASCS, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), and the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to complete an agreement governing software maintenance for PCIMS and establish an effective resolution process to arbitrate interagency disagreements to ensure orderly and timely system implementation and maintenance. |
Closed – Implemented
The Administrators of ASCS, AMS, and FNS signed an agreement in February 1991 establishing a joint PCIMS Management Board to provide oversight for completing the development, implementation, and operation of PCIMS.
|
| Department of Agriculture | Because of the management and oversight problems evident in ASCS automation projects, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct that the ASCS fiscal years 1990-1992 funding request for county office minicomputer upgrades, maintenance, software, and other equipment be reestimated and that any additional funding needed beyond the approximately $26 million remaining in existing procurement authority be contingent upon correcting the flaws in ASCS forecasting to more accurately estimate equipment upgrade needs. |
Closed – Implemented
ASCS has corrected flaws in its forecasting model used for estimating future equipment needs. ASCS has prepared a revised estimate for fiscal years 1990-1992 funding using the new model.
|
| Department of Agriculture | Because of the management and oversight problems evident in ASCS automation projects, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct that approval of ASCS requests for county office minicomputer equipment procurement authority for fiscal year 1993 and beyond be contingent upon its implementing a more effective disk capacity management program, as verified by the USDA Office of Information Resources Management. |
Closed – Implemented
ASCS has developed manual and automated processes to better manage disk capacity. It has implemented these processes and revised its estimate of minicomputer disk capacity funding needs for fiscal year 1993 and beyond using its corrected model used to estimate future equipment needs.
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Topics
Agricultural productsCapacity managementFuture budget projectionsInformation resources managementInventory control systemsSystems designEquipment upgradesProcurementComputersAgricultural commodities