Review of Alleged Mismanagement of VHA's Service-Oriented Architecture Research and Development Pilot Project

OIG conducted this review to evaluate the merits of allegations that VHA mismanaged the Service-Oriented Architecture Research and Development (SOARD) pilot project. We substantiated an allegation that VHA misused Medical Support and Compliance (MS&C) appropriations to pay for SOARD instead of using congressionally mandated Information Technology (IT) Systems appropriations. This occurred because the former Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Administrative Operations inappropriately authorized $2.6 million of MS&C appropriations for SOARD. In addition, the former Under Secretary for Health (USH) inappropriately approved an additional $48.8 million of MS&C appropriations to deploy Maximo the underlying software for SOARD. VA’s Office of Information & Technology (OI&T) denied VHA’s request for additional IT Systems appropriations for SOARD, thus ending nationwide deployment of Maximo before VHA could obligate the $48.8 million. Additionally, although OI&T used Project Management Accountability System (PMAS) to manage SOARD, OI&T lacked controls to prevent VHA’s improper use of MS&C appropriations before using PMAS. We did not substantiate the other two allegations. We recommended the Interim USH establish an oversight mechanism, remedy all MS&C appropriations used to pay for SOARD, and determine if VA should take administrative action against VHA senior officials involved in SOARD funding decisions. We also recommended the Executive in Charge, OI&T obtain Chief Financial Officer certifications that VA is using proper appropriations to fund IT projects.