Review of the Office of Personnel Management's Macon, Georgia, Computer System

GAO was requested to determine whether: (1) the computer system at the Office of Personnel (OPM) Computer Center in Macon, Georgia, is being used for the purpose originally planned and justified; and (2) the system could support additional processing.

When OPM acquired the computer system, its intention was to replace obsolete computers, consolidate departmental data processing functions, and further automate certain recordkeeping activities. Because of unanticipated problems and delays in converting the programs to run on the new system, many applications were still being run on the old equipment long after the new system was installed. When these delays resulted in underutilization of the new equipment, OPM, in keeping with the Government's policy of making excess capacity available to other Government agencies, solicited and processed work for non-OPM users. Although the current configuration of the equipment can support additional processing, that amount is closely related to work done for non-OPM users. Non-OPM use is likely to increase significantly, while use by OPM is likely to decrease or remain steady. At present, substantial capacity exists for additional processing, and if non-OPM users were excluded from the system, OPM could more than double its own workload.