An Experimental Computer Output Microfilm Service Center

As a result of GAO studies concerning the federal government's use of computer output microfilm (COM), an experimental COM service center was operated in Norfolk, Virginia from November 1973 until June 1975. The study demonstrated that: (1) production cost savings and operational efficiencies were achieved by agencies converting paper reports to COM, and (2) federal COM service centers can be effective means of providing the service. Experiments also revealed that: (1) COM is a viable option for routine reports intended to be read and acted on, (2) small federal automatic data processing (ADP) installations can achieve cost savings and increased operational efficiency through the use of COM, and (3) ADP installations can apply COM effectively via a local federal COM service center. A COM service center can yield substantial savings to the government because it allows small ADP installations to capture paper savings without a capital investment, and it avoids the cost of replicating underutilized COM equipment at numerous small ADP installations. Regulations require agencies to obtain COM services from existing government sources before using commercial service centers. Sharing facilities is preferred unless there are complicated security requirements, restrictive turn around requirements, or a volume which cannot be handled by the available COM equipment to be shared.