GAO tells Congress why federal IT projects succeed

Adequate funding, staff expertise and engagement from all stakeholders are among the critical factors common to most successful federal technology projects, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Traditionally, the government has struggled when acquiring technology thanks to the convoluted nature of the federal contracting process and the shortage of qualified contracting officers and technical personnel. Critics argue federal agencies get little return for the $80 billion the government spends annually on IT. The GAO released a report Nov 22 in response to a request from the Senate Homeland Security Committee to identify successful information technology acquisitions within the government, along with factors that contributed to their success.

(11/22)