The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched an effort to centralize its data warehouse operations and call-center activities in line with the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Centers of Excellence (CoE) program, FedScoop reported Monday.
Irving Dennis, chief financial officer of HUD, told the publication that the department is now entering Phase 2 of information technology modernization activities as part of GSA’s IT CoE program. In 2018, HUD began efforts to adopt cloud technologies, streamline contact centers and improve customer experience as part of the IT CoE initiative.
The department has since simplified auditing procedures and ensured compliance with standards such as the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act, according to the report. Dennis noted that he envisions a chief data officer IT shop that would operate independently or within other offices.
“The financial infrastructure and reporting in the IT systems at HUD were fairly weak. Probably the weakest of all of the Cabinet-level agencies,” Dennis said. “I would encourage each agency to have a very open mind, understand what their capabilities are and then reach out to them; go through your Phase 1.”