Better Management of Information Resources at the Bureau of Indian Affairs Could Reduce Waste and Improve Productivity

GAO reviewed the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA) information resources management (IRM) program to determine: (1) the extent to which BIA is using modern technology to help employees reduce costs and improve productivity; and (2) how effectively BIA manages its automatic data processing (ADP) equipment, information systems, and forms.

GAO found that, although Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and BIA internal directives require that ADP equipment be inventoried periodically and that equipment not be installed until needed, BIA has no effective means for carrying out these requirements. As a result, BIA does not always know what ADP equipment it has, where it is located, and how it is being used. In addition, GAO found that the BIA coordination of information systems and oversight of information collection activities is not effectively managed, resulting in: (1) ADP equipment not being used; (2) the development and maintenance of duplicative or overlapping information systems; (3) noncompliance with forms approval directives; and (4) the use of unapproved forms. Although the Department of the Interior has established an Office of Data Systems in BIA, additional actions are needed to improve IRM. BIA has not given the office the responsibility for: (1) overseeing funds used in developing and maintaining information system software; or (2) reviewing and approving information collection instruments that do not affect automated processing.

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: Howard G. Rhile Jr Team: General Accounting Office: Information Management and Technology Division Phone: (202) 512-6418