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• If Obama and his administration want to really save billions, how about tackling the waste and abuse associated with failed IT programs that cost the tax payer about $40 Billion per year. The greatest pay back would be in DoD which alone dumps $20 B in failed IT programs and cost overruns. The problem has been studied to death, and what is needed is leadership resolve willing to take on the root causes of failure; - Old boy network and revolving door. Why do you think the big six spends millions hiring former GOs and SESs who gave them their contracts. - Lack of any real transparency. Did you know Navy submitted only 3 OMB 300s in 2008. - Broken IT Architecture and Acquisition Processes that were developed for weapon systems acquisitions by our beloved FFRDCs. JDCIDS, DODAF, LISI, NESE, are all FFRDC full employment tools. - Failure to enforce FAR Organizational Conflict of Interest rules. SAIC was caught with their hand in the cookie jar by the IG with the Army's failed FCS program. They should have never been allowed to participate in any part of the implementation. And guess where the former FCS PM is going to work? - Failure to enforce FFRDC restrictions in the IT arena. Congressional restrictions prohibit them from competing or doing work that could other wise be done by others. Do we really need $300/hr academics building architectures that no one will ever use? Read the 1997 Defense Science Board report on how mis-using FFRDCs has been a major impediment to innovation. - Lack of accountability or incentives. Why do PMs who oversee failed program get promoted vs fired. Why do major contractors who are responsible for these failed efforts continue to win again and again. Someone should document the patterns of failures and stop rewarding those who are responsibility. We must also reverse the focus on compliance and reward outcomes. The patters of failure are clear. If Obama's administration wants to make a difference and put trust back into the process, they can focus on the root causes well documented in the many reports on IT acquisition failures. We may have a perfect storm for getting this festering problem addressed. We have the right leadership in place; Dr. Ash Carter, DepSec Bill Lynn, Peter Orzag, and the unsung heros who work as staffers of various appropriation and oversight committees. IT Reformer Posted February 2, 2010 8:00 AM