Federal Reports

We reviewed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) ability to effectively complete information technology (IT) acquisitions.  HUD’s IT systems and its modernization plans depend heavily on contractors, yet HUD has historically faced significant challenges with implementing effective acquisition processes. Therefore, HUD’s acquisition capacity represents a key potential risk within HUD’s IT environment. We found that a lack of staffing capacity, implementation of effective coordination and communication practices, and effective oversight of management controls over acquisition processing. HUD officials acknowledged that IT acquisition process improvements are needed and have taken steps toward addressing deficiencies.This evaluation report contains five recommendations to assist in continued successes for future acquisition efforts.

The Semiannual Report to Congress summarizes the results of VA OIG oversight, provides statistical information, and lists all reports issued from April 1 to September 30, 2021. During this reporting period, VA OIG audits, evaluations, investigations, inspections, and other reviews identified more than $2.9 billion in monetary impact for a return on investment of $29 for every dollar spent on oversight. During this reporting period, the VA OIG issued 214 reports and publications on VA programs and operations, made 849 recommendations, and conducted investigations that led to 113 arrests.

What OIG Evaluated: 

- The Copyright Office and Chief Information Officers project management and software development practices using GAOs Schedule Assessment Guide, Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide, and Software Development: Effective Practices and Federal Challenges in Applying Agile Methodologies
- Whether the representation of the project in Copyright Modernization Office's integrated master schedule  is comprehensive and sufficient
- Progress in closing the 12 prior findings from the audit report issued in August 2019 report entitled, Library Working Through Agile Delivery Method Challenges for Copyright IT Modernization Project (OIG Report No. 2018-IT-107).

What OIG Found: 

- Non-comprehensive cost estimate
- Incomplete public records project Schedule
 

What OIG Recommends: 

In addition to previously issued recommendations that were not closed at the time or the report, we recommend:
- The Library implement a quality review of the Cost Estimation Spreadsheet, Cost Estimate Document, the Project Personnel Budget Spreadsheet, and the independent government cost estimate, in order to ensure these documents are completed timely, accurately, and in accordance with applicable guidance.
- The Library clearly document the determination of the required personnel and estimated labor hours for Office of Chief Information Officer personnel.
- The Library apply supported labor rates to the non-Chief Information Officer personnel in the Public Records cost estimation.
- The Library document procedures to support the calculation of all labor rates used in the project personnel budget cost estimation, for both Chief Information Officer and Non-Chief Information Officer personnel.
- The Library apply an appropriate inflation rate to base year of contracted cost to the independent government cost estimate, as documented in guidance by the Library's Contracting Office.
- The Library document its support for the roles, hours per sprint, and labor rates applied to project cost estimates and contracting documents.
- The Library ensures Public Records cost forecasts and supporting elements (e.g., epics, features, velocity) along with dependencies are accurately represented in the project documentation. It is recommended that this be completed with a sense of urgency, in order to allow costs to be baselined.
- The Library update the Copyright Office Public Records Project schedule to include key release milestones and adequate work breakdown structure level details (i.e., features) for all remaining years of the project, including the current year.
- The Chief Information Officer work with the Libraries Office of the General Counsel to obtain required approvals and to publish revised versions of LCR 5-130 and LCD-5-130.1 that reflect the current IT governance structure at the Library.