Obama administration working on new framework for IT procurement

“This framework will include guidelines for establishing clear requirements at project inception, higher standards for project management practices and personnel, additional mechanisms for holding managers accountable for project results, and the elimination of outdated and cumbersome rules,” Zients said.

In addition to the new guidelines, the administration is also working to “fundamentally change” the way the federal government manages IT projects, by increasing oversight and scaling down or canceling projects that exceed their schedule and cost projections. The administration is also working to move more applications to the cloud in hopes of saving money and improving reliability.

In an accompanying message, President Obama called on those managers to help drive change within the executive branch.

“As the most senior managers in the Federal Government, you know how essential the work you and your colleagues do is to the Nation,” Obama said. “You also are aware what happens when your best efforts are thwarted by outdated technologies and outmoded ways of doing business.”