Summary

The Agency for International Development (AID) depends on information to sustain its operations and programs in more than 70 developing nations around the globe. The agency also needs information to fulfill a variety of internal and external reporting requirements and to evaluate program performance. Although AID has tried to improve its strategic information resources management (IRM) program, its overall IRM approach remains largely unfocused. AID has yet to develop an agency business plan; the senior official for IRM lacks authority to carry out the IRM program agencywide; and AID lacks the program management framework--policies, structures, structured planning process, controls, training, and budget priority--essential to support an effective IRM program. The agency therefore has no guarantee that initiatives to correct longstanding IRM shortcomings will be implemented or complied with agencywide. AID is just beginning to shift its focus from obtaining information technology, with little control or standardization of data or systems agencywide, to managing information as a corporate resource. Until this change is complete, there are no assurances that identified information requirements are directing information technology acquisitions and problems with inefficient and unintegrated systems will persist.

GAO found that: (1) the AID IRM program attempts to provide quality information to support agency operations and fulfill reporting requirements; (2) the AID management framework is inadequate to support an effective IRM program; (3) both the Senior AID IRM Official and IRM Director lack the proper authority to enforce agencywide IRM compliance, and are constrained in meeting IRM objectives; (4) problems that inhibit AID from implementing a quality IRM program include a lack of a specific agency strategic mission, inadequate planning process links to agency business plans and user input, a budget process separate from IRM plan initiatives, and IRM initiatives that are not coordinated to assist in implementing IRM goals; (5) AID policies and standards are outdated, inadequate, and not centrally managed, and lack controls, accountability and training to ensure implementation of IRM initiatives; (6) AID managers have a lack of understanding regarding the purpose or benefits of IRM; (7) information management has received a low priority, resulting in poor data administration and failure to identify information requirements and technology needs; and (8) AID has made progress in acquiring information technology, but the lack of IRM initiatives and identification of information requirements creates questions about its ability to meet its information needs.