The Energy Information Administration Needs To Strengthen Its Computer Systems Development Procedures

Gao ID: RCED-84-42 January 3, 1984

GAO reviewed Energy Information Administration (EIA) procedures for developing automated information systems, focusing on the application of those procedures to the development of an automated hydropower billing system for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). EIA regularly provides computer systems development services for other Department of Energy components.

GAO found that EIA did not have procedures for ensuring that systems development work was properly planned, reviewed, and tested. EIA did not ensure that a contractor's work was based on a study of the needs of potential system users and did not control changes to the system requested by FERC after the system design was agreed upon. GAO believes that, while new systems development standards issued by EIA will alleviate some identified problems, further improvements can be made.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: John W. Sprague Team: General Accounting Office: Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division Phone: (202) 512-7783


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