VA on an IT shut down tear

The Veterans Affairs Department has suspended funding for 188 of 280 information technology programs, reports 1105 GovInfo.

The department began suspending programs about a year ago after reviewing IT efforts through its Program Management Accountability System. The last round produced $54 million in savings, according to the VA; this second cycle could produce even more, said VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker.

"As of April 20, 92 IT projects are 'active' and able to spend down their budgets, 93 are 'in planning,' 53 are 'not started,' 21 are 'closed,' and 21 are 'other,' Baker wrote in an email message," the 21 other projects are either terminated or completed, the article states.

The 93 "in planning" projects are likely to be restarted once reconfigured through review, the article states.

"We are restarting projects all the time," Baker said. "I am in no hurry to spend the money until I know it can be spent productively."

For more:
- read the 1105 GovInfo article

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