US Government Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra’s “25 Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal Information Technology Management” was the subject of discussion and debate yesterday amongst various CIOs, CTOs, chief architects, and chief security officers, meeting as part of a council meeting for the Government Technology Research Alliance (GTRA).
GTRA’s research shows a general support for Kundra’s plan, which includes a “cloud first” initiative mandating agencies begin moving their services to cloud-based computing with the next 18 months. However, GTRA research also showed contracting leaders are concerned about the plan’s implantation in a period of federal budget challenges.
In one panel, titled “Tools & Strategies to Help You Support the 25-Point IT Management Reform Initiative with Limited Resources,” Brack Boehler, director of IT compliance for the Department of Transportation, urged contractors to rely on Enterprise Architecture as a core resource for implementing Kundra’s goals.
“Enterprise Architecture is the foundation that everything should be built on,” Boehler said. “Investments in cloud and light technology will not be as successful unless they are grounded in a strong EA program.”
Philip Wenger, an official with OMB, added that the tough economic climate could prove to be an opportunity more than a burden.
“Flat and shrinking budgets provide us with real opportunities for using things in the 25 point plan to become more efficient and deliver better services,” Wenger said.
