Fiscal Year 2004 Performance and Accountability Report Published November 15, 2004
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FY 2004 Obligation ($ in Millions) |
% of Total VA Resources |
Enabling Goal: Deliver world-class service to veterans and their families by applying sound business principles that result in effective management of people, communications, technology, and governance. |
$898 |
1.3% |
Objective |
Performance Results
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E-3 Implement a One VA information technology framework that supports the integration of information across business lines and that provides a source of consistent, reliable, accurate, and secure information to veterans and their families, employees, and stakeholders. |
Began the process of transforming business lines to achieve a secure veteran-centric delivery process that enables veterans and their families to register and update information, submit claims or inquiries, and obtain status (goal was 2 business lines transformed) |
$186 |
0.3% |
Performance
Enterprise Architecture
Enterprise Architecture (EA) is the practice of advancing and modernizing VA's information technology operations and investments while also pairing those efforts with business process reengineering and innovation. The "enterprise" is VA and the "architecture" is the complex framework of processes, systems, and programs by which VA provides health care, benefits, and memorial services to veterans and their families. In FY 2004 the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) accomplished the following:
- Restructured the Office of Enterprise Architecture to focus on advancement of the developed and stated architecture as well as the tools and methodologies to integrate all aspects and inputs. A Data Architecture Service is being established, which is fundamental to effective baselining and reference modeling for technology, systems, and business processes. Additionally, a Systems and Integration Service is being implemented to provide for a program management office in direct support of commitments made to lead the development of Registration and Eligibility and Contact Management (RE/CM) systems development initiatives.
- Initiated and managed several IT initiatives including: Operation Seamless Transition at Walter Reed Hospital in direct support of servicemembers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; RE/CM business functions; DoD/VA data sharing and integration; and executive correspondence tracking in the Office of the Secretary.
Telecommunications
VA initiated the Telecommunications Modernization Project (TMP), which implements an enterprise-standard architecture for its wide area network. TMP will provide VA with a centrally managed, secured, and funded national resource that will transport the data communications requirements for all VA business functions.
Information Security Program
The Office of the CIO is responsible for providing services to veterans that protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their private information; for enabling the timely, uninterrupted, and trusted nature of services provided; and for providing assurance that cost-effective cyber security controls are in place to protect automated information systems from financial fraud, waste, and abuse. The Office of the CIO accomplished the following activities during FY 2004:
- Initiated deployment of a security configuration and management program to provide patch management and remediation services on a centralized basis.
- Managed all VA intrusion detection systems and provided real-time analytical incident support, event correlation and analysis, and audit log analyses through a fully functional Network and Security Operations Center (NSOC) that operates 24/7. The NSOC was a significant factor in successfully mitigating the impact of several major computer viruses and worms infecting VA systems and networks in FY 2004.
- Partnered with VA's Employee Education Service to develop and implement a cyber security awareness course for over 250,000 employees, contractors, and volunteers.
- Rolled out an Information Security Officer (ISO) cyber security professionalization program, which included training, certification, and credentialing for 442 of VA's 444 full-time ISOs and Office of Cyber and Information Security staff.
Integrated IT Project Management Process
To properly manage high priority IT projects in terms of budget, schedule, and scope, VA employs an integrated IT project management process that is delineated by five major decision points called milestones. Project managers are required to brief the Department's Enterprise Information Board, which includes the CIO, in order to gain approval to proceed to the next step in the process. Listed below are milestone reviews that were conducted in FY 2004.
Decision Points |
IT Projects Reviewed in FY 2004 |
Milestone Zero: Project Initiation Approval |
- One VA Administrative Records Management System
- Enterprise Telephony Agenda
- One VA Enterprise Program Management Office
- HealtheVetVista
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Milestone One: Prototype Development Approval |
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Milestone Two: System Development Approval |
- Security Configuration and Management Program
- Loan Administration Redesign
- VA Electronic Contract Management System
- National Item File Health Data Repository
- Interim Message Solution
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Milestone Three: System Deployment Approval |
- Corporate Data Center Integration
- Telecommunications Modernization Project
- Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure Project
- E-Travel
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Milestone Four: Post Implementation Review |
- Allocation Resource Center
- Automated Monument Application System Redesign
- Bar Code Medication Administration System
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Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Evaluation
There are no PART evaluations that have been completed, nor are there any planned, that specifically address Objective E-3.
Major Management Challenges
VA's Office of Inspector General has identified the following information technology issue as a major management challenge related to Objective E-3 (the program's response to the challenge may be found at the pages linked below):
- Information security - information security vulnerabilities still exist, and corrective action needs to be taken to resolve them (more information).
The Government Accountability Office has designated protecting information systems supporting the Federal government and the Nation's critical infrastructures as a governmentwide high-risk area, which is related to Objective E-3 (the program's response to the challenge may be found at the pages linked below):
- Information technology challenges - the computer security management program requires further actions to ensure that the Department can protect its computer systems, networks, and sensitive health and benefits data from vulnerabilities and risks (more information).
Program Evaluations
There have not been any independent program evaluations conducted recently that specifically address Objective E-3.
New Policies and Procedures
The One VA IT Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) initiative is designed to improve and standardize the management and reporting of VA's IT portfolios and projects, as required by the Clinger-Cohen Act. The EPMO is charged with developing a standard set of portfolio and project management policies, processes, procedures, tools, training, and certification across all VA entities to ensure a greater probability of achieving consistent, repeatable project successes in support of VA's mission and goals. The EPMO's mission has three main goal categories: people, processes, and tools.
The goal of the "people" category is to develop and certify qualified, competent project managers, project team members, and portfolio and project oversight staff members to successfully manage VA's IT projects. Through VA's Project Management Training and Certification Program, VA identifies, trains, and certifies project managers with significant project manager responsibilities. Over 850 project managers, team members, and stakeholders have participated in the program. Over 160 employees have been certified at the highest level and have earned a Master's Certificate in project management awarded by a major university. VA currently has 100 percent of its IT project managers for OMB Exhibit 300 initiatives trained and certified.
The "processes" goal is to define and implement repeatable strategic planning, portfolio management, and project management best practices and standardized processes that senior officers, project managers, and oversight staff members can employ to successfully select, manage, control, and evaluate VA's IT projects. In FY 2004, VA developed key documents to enable the improved management and oversight of VA's major IT projects and portfolios. The documents include: Project Management Guide, Revised Milestone Briefing Templates and Instructions, and Portfolio Management Guide.
The "tools" goal is to implement best-of-breed project management tools that project managers, project team members, and oversight staff members will use to facilitate the successful management, reporting, and oversight of VA's IT projects. VA selected TeamPlay project management software to manage VA projects. VA uses the Capital Asset Management System (CAMS) to manage VA's IT portfolio. The system captures, tracks, and evaluates all VA capital asset initiatives within VA. OMB reviewed the Exhibit 300s for our FY 2005 IT portfolio and accepted all 59 of them on the first round, the first 100 percent success level for a Cabinet Department.
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