Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO analyzed the Social Security Administration's (SSA) $240-million fiscal year (FY) 1991 information technology systems budget request.

GAO found that: (1) SSA requested $6 million in FY 1991 for a new project intended to furnish systems integration services to help SSA plan, implement, and manage its current and future modernization activities; (2) SSA decided not to implement the system integration project in FY 1991 because it had not finalized its requirements; (3) SSA planned to reallocate the $6 million to other system enhancement projects; (4) the SSA request for $5 million for an office automation project in FY 1991, which would be used to acquire more office automation equipment and services, understated its funding needs for FY 1991 by about $46 million; (5) SSA projected that office automation would cost $25 million between FY 1991 and FY 1995, although its documentation showed that it understated office automation needs through FY 1995 by as much as $122 million.

Status Legend:

Review Pending-GAO has not yet assessed implementation status.

Open-Actions to satisfy the intent of the recommendation have not been taken or are being planned, or actions that partially satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.

Closed-implemented-Actions that satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.

Closed-not implemented-While the intent of the recommendation has not been satisfied, time or circumstances have rendered the recommendation invalid.

• Review Pending
• Open
• Closed - implemented
• Closed - not implemented

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter: Congress may wish to defer the $6-million request for systems integration and the $5-million request for office automation until SSA provides it with details and documentation of its needs and plans.

Status: Closed - Implemented

Comments: Due to automatic data processing planning problems cited in the report, SSA decided to reduce its FY 1991 information technology systems budget by $5 million for office automation and $6 million for a systems integration project.