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House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Drew Ferguson (GA-03) today sent a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting a review on how the Social Security Administration (SSA) manages and oversees billions of dollars in information technology (IT) investments. The letter follows an audit report of the SSA released on July 21, 2023, by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that determined a lack of monitoring nation-wide data on automation enhancements

In part, Chairman Ferguson wrote, “The need for these systems to maintain operations and stay up to date is not only critical for Social Security beneficiaries, but for every worker and business in America. Over the past decade, the SSA has spent over $16 billion on IT and cybersecurity and has budgeted an additional $2.1 billion for IT in fiscal year 2023.  Despite these sizable IT investments, upgrades to the SSA’s systems continue to be delayed to the detriment of Americans seeking services from the agency.”

“The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that IT investments by the federal government, including the SSA, have too frequently failed to deliver capabilities in a timely manner. They also incur cost overruns or schedule slippages while contributing little to mission-related outcomes. These investments often lack disciplined and effective management in such areas as project planning, investment management, and program oversight and governance.“

Chairman Ferguson requested:

• How does the SSA manage and oversee its IT investments? 
• To what extent do the SSA’s IT investment policies and procedures align with federal guidance and best practices on systems development and acquisition? 
• To what extent do the SSA’s IT investment practices adhere to its policies and procedures?
• To what extent do the SSA’s IT investment policies and procedures ensure the agency receives the expected performance over the lifetime of an investment?
• To what extent has the SSA assessed its acquisition workforce to ensure that it has the capacity and skills to award, manage, and oversee contracts to support SSA’s IT investments?
• To what extent has the SSA identified (a) non-acquisition personnel supporting acquisitions; and (b) non-acquisition personnel’s acquisition training needs?

Click HERE to read the letter or see the text below.

Dear Comptroller General Dodaro:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) depends on its aging information technology (IT) infrastructure to handle billions of transactions a year while serving individual members of the public, supporting other federal agencies, and processing wage records for private businesses. The need for these systems to maintain operations and stay up to date is not only critical for Social Security beneficiaries, but for every worker and business in America. Over the past decade, the SSA has spent over $16 billion on IT and cybersecurity and has budgeted an additional $2.1 billion for IT in fiscal year 2023.  Despite these sizable IT investments, upgrades to the SSA’s systems continue to be delayed to the detriment of Americans seeking services from the agency.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that IT investments by the federal government, including the SSA, have too frequently failed to deliver capabilities in a timely manner. They also incur cost overruns or schedule slippages while contributing little to mission-related outcomes. These investments often lack disciplined and effective management in such areas as project planning, investment management, and program oversight and governance.  

With the SSA expending billions of taxpayer dollars each year on IT and cybersecurity, it is imperative that the agency does not squander these resources. As a result, I request that the GAO evaluate the SSA’s IT investment policies and procedures for systems development and acquisition, as well as the SSA’s acquisition and non-acquisition workforce that oversees and supports its IT contracts. 

As part of your review, please consider what the SSA can do within its existing statutory authority to improve on the value it receives from the resources it invests, and what actions Congress can consider to improve the effectiveness of the SSA’s IT investments.

1. How does the SSA manage and oversee its IT investments?
2. To what extent do the SSA’s IT investment policies and procedures align with federal guidance and best practices on systems development and acquisition?
3. To what extent do the SSA’s IT investment practices adhere to its policies and procedures?
4. To what extent do the SSA’s IT investment policies and procedures ensure the agency receives the expected performance over the lifetime of an investment?
5. To what extent has the SSA assessed its acquisition workforce to ensure that it has the capacity and skills to award, manage, and oversee contracts to support SSA’s IT investments?
6. To what extent has the SSA identified (a) non-acquisition personnel supporting acquisitions; and (b) non-acquisition personnel’s acquisition training needs?