What OIG Evaluated:
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped modernization projects were executed on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with technical requirements and best practices.
What OIG Found:
We found the Library had a:
- Lack of Policies and Consistent Processes for Tracking Actual Costs Through the Life of a Project for all National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped IT Modernization Initiative Projects
- Lack of Consistent Risk Monitoring by National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for the Braille eReader and Digital Talking Book Machine Projects
- Lack of Life Cycle Cost Estimates by National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for the Braille eReader and Digital Talking Book Machine Projects
- Lack of Consistent Work Breakdown Structure and Earned Value Management Procedures
- Lack of Consistent Project Status Reporting
- Lack of Integrated Master Schedule and Inconsistent Processes for Updating Individual Project Schedules
- Lack of Consideration for All Pertinent Elements of Scheduling
What OIG Recommends:
- The Financial Services Directorate in consultation with Chief Information Officer Project Management Office, continue efforts to align actual cost tracking practices with the Government accountability Office Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide, as previously recommended by the OIG. Until such time that Financial Services Directorate can implement actual cost tracking practices that are aligned Government accountability Office Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide Library- wide, we recommend that Financial Services Directorate implement cost accounting procedures to close the gap while the ideal solution is being designed. For example, Financial Services Directorate can issue policies and procedures on cost identification and collection/recording, as well as using manual solutions and templates, in the interim, after conducting a cost/benefit analysis and risk assessment.
- The National Library Service require the IT Modernization Initiative project managers to leverage existing actual cost tracking practices, with consultation and review by Chief Information Officer Project Management Office and Financial Services Directorate, to identify and track all actual project costs and update cost trackers on all applicable National Library Service IT Modernization Initiative projects on a minimum standard frequency, in line with evolving requirements.
- National Library Service and the Chief Information Officer designate an individual to perform scheduled internal/self-assessments and compliance reviews over the actual cost trackers for each project.
- Require National Library Service project managers to develop and maintain formal risk registers for each National Library Service IT Modernization Initiative project in accordance with Library of Congress Directive 5-310.1, Project Management Life Cycle , to track identified risks with a minimum standard frequency for periodically updating identified risks and resolutions.
- Monitor compliance with Library of Congress Directive 5-310.1, as described above, and perform scheduled internal/self-assessments and compliance reviews over the procedures.
- Implement Office of the Chief Information Officer Project Management Offices formal cost estimating and assessment checklist that contains the Government accountability Office Cost Estimating and Assessment Guides best practices for project managers to follow when developing, executing, and maintaining project costs.
- Continue efforts to implement earned value management in accordance with Government accountability Office best practices and with consideration for project size requirements.
- The Chief Information Officer implement policies and procedures to close the gap while the ideal solution is being designed. For example, the Office of the Chief Information Officer can issue policies and procedures on how to develop work breakdown structures and take steps toward calculating earned value management within a timely manner at the beginning of the project, based on project size requirements, with reassessment on a regular and recurring basis.
- Require the IT Modernization Initiative project managers to leverage existing work breakdown structure and earned value management procedures, with consultation and review by the Project Management Office to create a work breakdown structure with the OCIO's evolving requirements.
- Designate an individual to perform scheduled internal/self-assessments and compliance reviews over the work breakdown structure and earned value management for each applicable project.
- Require project managers to follow Library of Congress Directive 5-310.1, Project Management Life Cycle and leverage Office of the Chief Information Officer Project Management Officer project status report templates for each IT Modernization Initiative project in order to document the possible impacts to the project schedule, cost estimates, and performance due to items discussed during weekly status meetings/reports, as well as require project managers to update the project schedule and cost estimates based on the impacts identified in the status report.
- Monitor compliance with Library of Congress Directive 5-310.1 and perform scheduled internal/self-assessments and compliance reviews over the procedures.
- Identify project dependencies within the IT Modernization Initiative projects (Braille eReader, BARD, Stop Gap Player, Smart Speaker, and Smart Phone) and among any other Library-wide IT modernization efforts. If Library-wide IT modernization dependencies exist, we recommend the Chief Information Officer create a Library-wide IT modernization integrated master schedule. If no other dependencies exist outside of the IT Modernization Initiative projects, we recommend the National Library Service, with consultation with the Office of the Chief Information Officer, create an National Library Service IT Modernization Initiative integrated master schedule.
- Require project managers to follow Library of Congress Directive 5-310.1, Project Management Life Cycle , to update individual project schedules on a regular and recurring basis for each IT Modernization Initiative project and communicate individual project schedule changes to the owner of the applicable IMS to be created.
- Monitor compliance with Library of Congress Directive 5-310.1 and perform scheduled internal/self-assessments and compliance reviews over the procedures.
- Implement the project schedule management processes that Chief Information Officer Project Management Office will develop to align with PMBOK Knowledge Area Project Time Management and the Government accountability Office Schedule Assessment Guide, and that the National Library Service perform scheduled internal/self-assessments and compliance reviews over the procedures.
