OMB Asks Agencies to Trim 2012 Budgets, Identify Risky IT Projects
On June 8, 2010, Office of Management and Budget Director Orszag sent memoranda to the heads of executive departments and agencies asking them to trim their FY 2012 discretionary budgets and identify low-priority programs and high risk information technology projects, etc.
Non-Security Agencies Asked to Reduce 2012 Budgets by 5%
In keeping with the President’s proposal for a three-year freeze in non-security discretionary funding, OMB says that the FY 2012 budget requests submitted by non-security agencies should reflect a 5% decrease.
Agencies asked to review IT projects, etc. OMB also instructs the agencies to:
Complete a review of their IT portfolios prior to submitting their FY 2012 budget request, identify high-risk projects, etc. (all high-risk IT projects will undergo more detailed evaluation as part of the FY 2012 budget process);
Provide funding for the timely execution of agency plans to consolidate data centers in its FY 2012 budget request; and
Highlight top policy and funding priorities and update high priority performance goals in its FY 2012 budget request.
Identification of Low-Priority Programs
The OMB Director also asked all agencies (security and non-security) to look at their spending and identify those programs that are least critical to advancing their agency mission and constitute at least 5% of its discretionary budget1.
1According to Orszag, this information must be included with the agency’s FY 2012 budget submission, but is a separate exercise from the budget reductions necessary to meet the target for the agency’s FY 2012 discretionary budget request.