White House looks to IT to provide efficiencies, report says

President Obama's budget request focuses on ways to cut information technology costs through consolidation and modernization efforts that will increase efficiency, according to a report released by IT research firm Government Insights.

"The presidential budget is a good gauge into where the federal government spending priorities are headed and which programs are favored," the report stated. "However, throw in the volatile nature of the current public mood and the pressure on a Congress up for election, and this could be a more interesting year than usual."

The fiscal 2011 budget submitted to Congress last week includes $79.4 billion in IT spending across all agencies, a slight decrease from the $80.8 billion budget in fiscal 2010. The proposed budget is a 1.2 percent increase from the White House's fiscal 2010 IT budget request of $78.4 million. According to the report, the fiscal 2011 budget request represents 7,463 IT programs and investments, many of which seek to decrease infrastructure costs.