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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Corrective Action Report

Issue and Milestone Schedule

Date of Submission
First Quarter Update:
Second Quarter Update:
Third Quarter Update:
End of Year Report: 12/02/02

Issue Title

Management of Automation Programs

Issue ID
1997-4809

Organization
Immigration and Naturalization Service

Date First
Initiated

03/98

Original Target for Completion

09/30/00

Current Target for Completion

Actual Date of Completion

07/30/02

Issue Type (Organization Rating)


Significant Concern

Source Title

OIG Audit Report #98-09

Date of Source Report

03/26/98

Issue Type (DOJ Rating)

Material Weakness

Issue Description

The Immigration and Naturalization Service's (INS) Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM) has experienced continuing and longstanding difficulty in providing timely and consistent information about its activities.  The OIRM has been cited by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the lack of adequate management controls and repeatable business processes to efficiently and effectively manage information technology (IT) at INS.

What We Will Do About It

In FY 2001, INS provided a response to OIG Audit Report #98-09, AINS' Management of Automation Programs.@  At this time, INS continues to await a formal response from the OIG indicating that this issue may be closed as a material weakness.  Although INS has met all milestones in this Corrective Action Report, the issue will remain open until the OIG concurs with INS' response.

October 2002 Update

Milestone #4:  OIRM engaged external contractors to work with the OIRM team to enhance its approach to project management.  With contractor support, OIRM has developed a tool to monitor, track, and report project cost and schedule information, beginning with projects funded with counterterrorism funding.  Project status reports using this methodology are prepared and delivered to OIRM management monthly.  These reports have been produced since May 2002, and are available for review.  Future plans include the incorporation of performance data and additional projects.  This milestone is now completed.

Milestone #5: INS is currently using MS Project to generate monthly project status reports for projects funded with counterterrorism funding.

Milestone #6:  Project management training has been institutionalized in the organization as part of the planning process related to development of the annual budget execution plan.  This training program provides OIRM project managers critical knowledge of project management principles as defined by the Project Management Institute.  A number of staff members have been certified as project management professionals as a result of the training program.  This milestone is completed.

Milestones

Original Target Date

Current Target Date

Actual Date of Completion

1. Develop an FY 1999 budget execution plan for OIRM.

11/30/98

 

01/29/99

2. Develop FY 1999 project plans.

02/28/99

 

04/30/99

3. Create a tracking capability within OIRM to track IT-oriented contract activities.

01/31/99

 

09/30/99

4. Create a tracking capability that fully supports cost, schedule, and performance tracking at the IT project level.

09/30/00

10/01/02

07/30/02

5. Select project management tool.

09/30/99

10/01/02

07/30/02

6. Provide project management training to IT managers.

09/30/99

05/31/02

05/31/02

How We Will Know It Is Fixed

OIRM can produce accurate project management information for IT projects, including cost, schedule, and performance tracking.