Other databases, such as those containing land and mineral records, are to be integrated with GCDB. These management tools are essential to manage the remainder of the project, help ensure system availability and performance, and avoid security and operational problems. BLM has not yet developed a security architecture. We stated that BLM might not be able to maintain this schedule because it continued to allow insufficient time between critical milestones to deal with problems that were likely to arise. BLM is again revising its plans and milestones, but although it is planning to analyze human resource usage and task relationships in establishing milestones for deployment activities, it is not planning to do so for its schedule to complete, test, and certify ALMRS. Continuing delays in implementing ALMRS may place BLM at risk of losing information technology support for core business processes because of the imminent Year 2000 computer problem. Problems Encountered During Beta Testing

The following problems emerged during the beta test of ALMRS. These two systems are to be replaced by ALMRS before the year 2000. Recommendation

To reduce the risk that BLM will lose information technology support for core business processes, we recommend that the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (1) direct that the two mission-critical systems ALMRS is to replace be fully assessed to determine what actions are needed to ensure the continued use of these systems after January 1, 2000, and (2) develop a contingency plan to take those actions in the event that ALMRS is not fully deployed by that time. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to assess BLM’s actions to address the recommendations contained in our March 1997 report and identify the status of BLM’s efforts to test, deploy, and implement ALMRS initial operating capability (IOC). To review BLM’s actions to address our recommendations (develop a credible project schedule, configuration management plan, security architecture and security plan, complete transition plans, and complete operations and maintenance plans), we reviewed the ALMRS Project Office’s project management and scheduling procedures; BLM’s National Configuration Management Board’s draft configuration management plan; BLM information technology security plans, ALMRS application security plan, and other security documentation; BLM’s Operations and Maintenance plan for the National IRM Center; and BLM’s Version 2.0 Transition and Deployment Plan and site-specific transition/deployment plans for New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, and Colorado. 3. BLM has not done this. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided a follow-up assessment of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) actions to address the recommendations contained in its March 1997 report, focusing on the status of BLM's efforts to test, deploy, and implement the automated land and mineral records system's (ALMRS) initial operating capability.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) BLM has not yet fully implemented GAO's recommendations to mitigate risks and help ensure a successful transition and operating environment for ALMRS; (2) specifically, BLM does not have a security architecture and sound security plan, complete transition plans, and complete operations and maintenance plans for ALMRS; (3) BLM has developed a draft configuration management plan and has been implementing a configuration management program; (4) however, BLM has not developed a credible project schedule; (5) these tools are essential to manage the remainder of the project, help ensure system availability and performance, and avoid security and operational problems; (6) during beta testing of the ALMRS initial operating capability and validation testing of converted data, BLM identified computer workstation configuration and software problems; (7) the testing also surfaced operation concerns that had not been adequately addressed, such as how ALMRS will support public information needs and data exchanges between BLM and other organizations; (8) BLM is revising its project plan and schedule to address these problems before entering the final testing and certification phase; (9) BLM may not be able to maintain the modified schedule, however, because it: (a) is being developed without analyzing human resource usage and task relationships for predevelopment activities; and (b) contains optimistic timeframes for completing activities, leaving little time to deal with unanticipated problems that are likely to arise; (10) recent and potential future delays in implementing ALMRS place BLM at risk that existing systems supporting mission-critical business processes, which are to be replaced by ALMRS, will be subject to the year 2000 computer problem; and (11) while BLM is planning to provide the upgrades necessary to allow for the continued use of these systems if ALMRS is not fully deployed by the year 2000, it has not yet completed the requisite assessment to determine how to do this.