“Just last December, the Department of Veterans Affairs gave its chief information officer oversight and authority over all technology spending.”
“December also happened to be the five-year anniversary of the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA).”
“It’s highly doubtful that VA issued the memo giving the CIO full power under the 2015 law as a way to celebrate FITARA’s birthday. But it did signal a major step toward the agencies living up to the spirit and intent of the IT management law.”
“At the same time, what’s disconcerting about the memo is it took five years to happen for the largest civilian agency with an IT budget of more than $6.1 billion in fiscal 2020…”
“And it’s clear from a recent inspector general report that VA’s senior management fell short in giving the CIO a big enough seat at the table.”
“The IG found the VA CIO had limited oversight over IT spending and didn’t review and approval 70% of all acquisitions worth approximately $1 billion during the first three quarters of fiscal 2018…” Read the full article here.
Source: In 2020, VA CIO finally received oversight over all IT spending despite 2015 law requiring it – By Jason Miller, June 23, 2020. Federal News Network.
