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ADP Acquisitions: SSA Should Limit ADP Procurements Until Further Testing Is Performed

IMTEC-86-31 Published: Aug 08, 1986. Publicly Released: Aug 08, 1986.
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Highlights

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Systems Modernization Plan to determine whether SSA fully justified ongoing and planned computer hardware procurements totalling $343 million and whether the procurements will meet SSA requirements.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services To ensure that valid SSA computer needs are met without making unnecessary expenditures, the Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to limit future contractual commitments of funds until SSA assesses, justifies, and documents projected automatic data processing requirements, alternatives to meeting the requirements, and the associated benefits to the SSA mission, which should result in a clarification of SSA equipment needs.
Closed – Not Implemented
The procurement in question has been completed.
Department of Health and Human Services To ensure that valid SSA computer needs are met without making unnecessary expenditures, the Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to limit the acquisition strategy for the terminals, data network and host computers to support only the full installation of equipment at the 20 offices designated as pilots by SSA. The pilots should provide SSA the opportunity to more adequately assess its needs.
Closed – Not Implemented
The procurement in question has been completed.
Department of Health and Human Services To ensure that valid SSA computer needs are met without making unnecessary expenditures, the Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Commissioner of Social Security to replace the existing terminals and network in the remaining field offices once the testing of equipment reliability is complete. This approach should result in substantial lease cost savings and put in place a standard, industry-supported network that can be easily expanded.
Closed – Not Implemented
The procurement in question has been completed.

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Topics

Information Technology
Computer equipment contractsCost controlDatabasesIncome maintenance programsIT acquisitionsManagement information systemsOffice equipmentSupplemental security incomeSystems conversionsTestingComputer hardware