Review of Alleged Improper Program Management within the FLITE Strategic Asset Management Pilot Project

We reviewed allegations of improper program management within the Strategic Asset Management (SAM) pilot project of the Financial and Logistics Integrated Technology Enterprises (FLITE) program. The complainant alleged the FLITE program managers did not adequately manage the SAM contractor’s performance; the SAM Project Manager pressured VA personnel to complete the contractor’s deliverables; and the FLITE program managers did not ensure that certain elements considered necessary for a successful software development effort were included in the FLITE program. We substantiated that FLITE program managers needed to improve their overall management of the SAM pilot project. FLITE program managers did not adequately monitor the contractor’s performance and ensure that the Office of Information and Technology assigned legacy system programmers to the project in a timely manner. They also did not develop written procedures that clearly defined roles and responsibilities related to interface development for contractor and VA personnel. In addition, FLITE program managers were unable to successfully foster a collaborative working environment between the contractor and VA personnel. We did not substantiate that the SAM Project Manager pressured VA personnel to complete the contractor’s deliverables. Finally, we substantiated in part that FLITE program managers did not ensure certain elements considered necessary for a successful software development effort, such as “to be” and architectural models were included in the FLITE program. We recommended the Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology strengthen management controls to improve the SAM pilot, beta, and national deployment projects. The Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology agreed with our findings and recommendations and plans to complete corrective actions by February 2011. We will monitor implementation of the planned actions.