Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Health and Human Service's (HHS) compatible computer procurements.

GAO found that: (1) during the 3.5 years ending in March 1989, HHS had a total of 145 procurements for mainframe computers and mainframe peripherals, with 92 percent of those procurements requiring some type of compatibility; (2) HHS obligated $193.5 million for the 145 mainframe and mainframe peripheral procurements; and (3) HHS obligated $161.7 million for 103 compatible procurements.