The Legislative Focus on Federal ADP Procurement and GAO's Role

GAO reviews of automatic data processing (ADP) systems used by Governmental agencies result largely from specific congressional requests. The principal concerns of Congress with regard to the acquisition and upgrading of ADP systems by Government agencies are: personal privacy protection; costs; maintaining competition; and the acquisition of effective Federal systems. Most of the congressional requests for review of specific agency systems direct GAO to examine their capability to protect personal information. Many congressional inquiries request determination as to whether there was a competitive solicitation; if not, whether it was justified; and whether the buyer complied with Federal procurement regulations in all respects. The ADP Fund is now adequately funded to support opportunity buys, multiyear leasing, and requirements contracts, although ADP procurements are not yet centralized. Although GSA is prohibited from interfering with the agencies' determinations of their ADP equipment requirements, GAO can review both the capacity of the system to perform the workload and the effectiveness with which users' needs are satisfied. It is suggested that system justifications will have to be more complete and of higher quality than has generally been so in the past.