B-151204, OCT. 30, 1964
Highlights
WE HAVE FOR A LONG TIME ADVOCATED THE SHARING OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADP FACILITIES AND WE ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE BASIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSED REGULATION. WILL RESULT IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHILE WE ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE OBJECTIVES STATED. WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT FULLY EFFECTIVE SHARING OF COSTLY ADP RESOURCES WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER A SYSTEM WHICH IS VOLUNTARY IN NATURE SUCH AS THE ONE PROPOSED. WHILE WE ARE DOUBTFUL THAT THE VOLUNTARY SHARING PLAN WILL RESULT IN MAXIMUM USE OF AVAILABLE COMPUTER CAPACITY. WE FEEL THAT THE PROPOSED PROCEDURES SHOULD BE ADOPTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE IN SOME MEASURE THE SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS THAT ARE ATTAINABLE BY MORE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZING EQUIPMENT ALREADY INSTALLED RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO PROCURE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TO MEET INDIVIDUAL AGENCY NEEDS.
B-151204, OCT. 30, 1964
TO THE HONORABLE BERNARD L. BOUTIN, ADMINISTRATOR, GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION:
BY LETTER OF OCTOBER 8, 1964, THE HONORABLE LAWSON B. KNOTT, JR., TRANSMITTED FOR OUR REVIEW AND COMMENT A COPY OF A PROPOSED GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION REGULATION FOR EFFECTING THE SHARING OF ADP RESOURCES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOR A LONG TIME ADVOCATED THE SHARING OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADP FACILITIES AND WE ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE BASIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSED REGULATION. WE FEEL THAT THE PROPOSED PROCEDURES, IF EFFECTIVELY CARRIED OUT, WILL RESULT IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WHILE WE ARE IN ACCORD WITH THE OBJECTIVES STATED, WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT FULLY EFFECTIVE SHARING OF COSTLY ADP RESOURCES WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER A SYSTEM WHICH IS VOLUNTARY IN NATURE SUCH AS THE ONE PROPOSED. HOWEVER, WHILE WE ARE DOUBTFUL THAT THE VOLUNTARY SHARING PLAN WILL RESULT IN MAXIMUM USE OF AVAILABLE COMPUTER CAPACITY, WE FEEL THAT THE PROPOSED PROCEDURES SHOULD BE ADOPTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE IN SOME MEASURE THE SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS THAT ARE ATTAINABLE BY MORE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZING EQUIPMENT ALREADY INSTALLED RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO PROCURE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TO MEET INDIVIDUAL AGENCY NEEDS. OUR VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT ARE WELL KNOWN AND ARE CONTAINED IN OUR APRIL 30, 1964, REPORT (B 115369) TO THE CONGRESS ON "REVIEW OF PROBLEMS RELATING TO MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.'
IN ADDITION, WHILE IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO INITIALLY EXCLUDE GOVERNMENT- CONTRACTOR-OPERATED EQUIPMENT IN THE INTEREST OF ESTABLISHING A WORKABLE PROGRAM BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND BETWEEN GOVERNMENT OWNED CONTRACTOR OPERATED (GOCO) INSTALLATIONS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT SHARING OF EQUIPMENT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT OWNED CONTRACTOR OPERATED INSTALLATIONS SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS SOON AS FEASIBLE IN THE SHARING PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO ACHIEVE ALL POSSIBLE ECONOMIES IN THIS HIGH COST AREA OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES.
WE ARE AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS DETAILS OF OUR COMMENTS WITH MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF.