GAO Reports Progress, Challenges in Govt Cloud Migration Efforts

The Government Accountability Office recommends that federal agencies continue to adopt the cloud to reduce the cost of modernizing information technology platforms and services. GAO said Monday that 16 agencies have seen progress implementing cloud computing services and have continued to increase spending since 2015. 

Officials cited that cloud enhanced customer service, the availability of weather-related information and collaboration and information sharing among federal, state and local agencies. Moving to the cloud also helped 13 federal agencies save $291 million from their modernization efforts. 

However, majority of the agencies are facing challenges in tracking cloud-related investments and savings. Officials reported problems assessing IT investments and the lack of proper guidance from the Office of Management and Budget to report savings from cloud implementations.

“As a result of these identified issues, it is likely that agency-reported cloud spending and savings figures were underreported,” GAO said. 

The watchdog recommends that the involved agencies and OMB improve how they track and report savings and cost avoidance from the migration and deployment of cloud services.

The agencies in the GAO report are the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, State, Treasury, Transportation and Veterans Affairs, the General Services Administration, Small Business Administration and the Social Security Administration.