Audit of VA Electronic Contract Management System.

摘要

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) performed an audit to evaluate the effectiveness of the Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS), which was designed to improve VAs contract management. The audit objective was to determine if information in eCMS enables VA to use the system as a comprehensive management tool to improve the procurement process and the effectiveness of the system for oversight of VA procurements. he audit revealed that eCMS is not used effectively and procurement information in eCMS is incomplete. VA cannot achieve the expected benefits of eCMS, including the ability to integrate and standardize procurement processes, reduce workload, and improve communications without complete information. For example, VA currently cannot rely on eCMS to determine the total number of procurements accurately or the total estimated value of these procurements. Also, because procurement information in eCMS is incomplete, reports generated by the system cannot be relied upon when making procurement management decisions. VA has not integrated eCMS with VAs Integrated Funds Distribution, Control Point Activity, Accounting and Procurement (IFCAP) system or the Financial Management System (FMS). Integration would establish bi-directional communications between IFCAP and eCMS in order to capitalize on the abilities of eCMS to consolidate multiple requests, electronically prepare and issue solicitation documents, receive electronic offers, and automate contract administration. IFCAP is the VA-wide, decentralized procurement, funds control, and front-end accounting application. FMS is the Departments financial management system. Award data for contracts and orders created in eCMS does not electronically transfer to IFCAP, which creates a duplication of input effort for procurement staff. Therefore, VA needs to ensure that procurement information in eCMS is complete and integrates eCMS with FMS or IFCAP. Integrating eCMS with FMS or IFCAP would provide VA with improved acquisition efficiency, reporting, and increased management visibility and control over spending.