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The USDA's OCIO supervises and coordinates the design, acquisition, maintenance, use, and disposition of information and information technology (IT) by USDA agencies. The OCIO has draft an overall strategic IT plan for the agency.
The USDA IT Strategic Plan is the Department’s roadmap towards meeting its overall mission. It describes the goals which IT resource organizations should strive to achieve and it will govern the direction of the Department-wide IT program. We are taking major strides towards fully implementing mandated requirements, maturing our overall processes, and fulfilling a best-practice model. The ongoing IT governance and infrastructure is already being realized, as evidenced by the Department’s:
- Managing IT investments throughout the capital planning and investment
control (CPIC) process;
- Leveraging the enterprise architecture (EA) and using the target architecture
(TA) to reduce redundancies, improve data sharing and interoperability, and systematically fill the gaps in our IT environment;
- Ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure IT infrastructure that meets or
exceeds national standards;
- Implementing an aggressive E-Government Strategy;
- Improving the quality, accessibility and sharing of data in our systems;
- Leveraging our IT resources through growing enterprise services and shared
IT solutions; and
- Applying effective records management processes
Note: Links shown in red need more information. If you are familiar with one of these subject areas, please feel free to follow the link in order to add more information to the Government IT Wiki.
Current Climate
Leading Projects at Agriculture - 2007
Consolidated Infrastructure, Office Automation, and Telecommunications
FNS Advanced Planning Documents (APDs) -- IT Investment Grants to States
FNS Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) -- IT Investment Grants to States
Corporate Financial Mangement Systems
Financial Management Modernization Initiative
Top Spending Departments - 2007
Food and Nutrition Service
Office of the Secretary
Forest Service
Farm Service Agency
Rural Development
Leading Contract Winners at Agriculture Dell - Products
IBM - Services & products
Accenture - Services
Buhrmann NV - products
CSC - Services
IT Budget History
| 2003
| 2004
| 2005
| 2006
| 2007
| 2008
| 2009
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| $1,704
| $1,667
| $1,841
| $2,027
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$2,153 (Proposed)
$2,111 (Final)
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$2,103 (proposed)
$2,318 (Enacted)
| $2,413 Proposed
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Numbers = $millions. (Data from the Office of Management and Budget)
Note on 2007 & 2008: Most civilian agencies other that the Homeland Security Department have not had a full budget approved since FY2006. A continuing resolution has keep agency spending near 2006 levels.
Most Common Procurement Methods
Tha Agriculture Department's Directory of Procurement Offices is a good place to find USDA business opportunities.
Other Agriculture procurement sites.
Future
The USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2005-2010 identifies key policy and management objectives that will be integrated with USDA’s budget priorities and that provide accountability through a series of annual performance plans. Central to the Plan is effective management of the Department’s resources in an effort to best deliver its multifaceted programs. USDA is strongly committed to strategic planning and to the goals and strategies outlined in this Plan. Within this framework, USDA intends to continue improvement by remaining flexible and open to new opportunities and change. USDA is working to strengthen its management through vigorous execution of the President’s Management Agenda (PMA). Better management will result in more efficient program operations that offer improved customer service and more effective stewardship of taxpayer funds. USDA expects to:
- Ensure an efficient, high-performing, diverse workforce, aligned with mission
priorities;
- Work cooperatively with partners and the private sector;
- Enhance internal controls, data integrity, and financial management
information and sustain unqualified audit opinion;
- Reduce spending and burden on citizens, partners and employees by
simplifying access to the Department’s information. This enhancement is added by implementing business processes and information technology to make services available electronically;
- Link budget decisions and program priorities more closely with program
performance and consider the full cost of programs;
- Efficiently and effectively manage real property; and
- Transform IT enterprise infrastructure to be cost effective and transparent
across all agencies and geographic regions.
Related Links
Federal Register - Agriculture
News
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