Review of the Tennessee Valley Authority's Procurements of Automatic Data Processing Equipment

EMD-81-20: Published: Nov 7, 1980. Publicly Released: Dec 8, 1980.

Additional Materials:

Contact:

Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) determined that TVA needed additional automatic data processing (ADP) equipment to handle its expanding workload. Because this need was considered urgent, GSA allowed TVA to lease additional equipment without soliciting competitive bids from computer vendors. GSA stipulated that TVA proceed expeditiously toward a competitive procurement.

With full practical use of its ADP resources, TVA could have avoided substantial expenditures in supplementing the processing capacity of its central computing system. TVA policies and procedures for ADP management did not result in the full practical use of its computing resources. TVA progress toward a fully competitive procurement of ADP equipment to replace its central computing system has been hampered by numerous delays. Although the agency has received contractor proposals, the specifications for the procurement have tended to limit competition.

Recommendations for Executive Action

  1. Status:

    Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

    Recommendation: The Chairman, TVA Board of Directors, should require responsible agency officials to expedite efforts to develop and implement policies and procedures for assuring the full practical use of ADP equipment.

    Agency Affected: Tennessee Valley Authority

  2. Status:

    Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

    Recommendation: The Chairman, TVA Board of Directors, should direct that a contract for replacing TVA large-scale ADP equipment not be consummated until the agency has validated its ADP requirements and is efficiently using its existing ADP equipment.

    Agency Affected: Tennessee Valley Authority

  3. Status:

    Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

    Recommendation: The Chairman of the TVA Board of Directors should require that responsible agency officials validate TVA existing and future ADP requirements.

    Agency Affected: Tennessee Valley Authority

 

Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations »

Jan 19, 2021

Jan 13, 2021

Dec 16, 2020

Dec 9, 2020

Dec 3, 2020

Nov 30, 2020

Nov 24, 2020

Nov 23, 2020

Nov 18, 2020

Looking for more? Browse all our products here