A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers are proposing an alternative to the administration’s $3.1 billion IT Modernization Fund that they say would spur IT improvements at federal agencies and improve cybersecurity without a central fund.
Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Tom Udall, D-N.M., introduced the “Modernizing Outdated and Vulnerable Equipment and Information Technology (MOVE IT) Act” on July 14 to encourage agencies to move to third-party cloud services using a stick and carrot approach.
Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Will Hurd, R-Texas, introduced an identical version in the House on July 14, as well.
Download: Draft MOVE IT Act of 2016
The stick comes in the form of different funding model. Instead of a singular fund controlled by the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration, the bill would require each agency to create its own working capital fund.
The bill suggests agencies can find the money by “reprogramming of funds intended for the operation and maintenance of legacy systems; transfers of funds where specifically provided for by existing law; cost savings realized on IT projects; or discretionary appropriations.”
In turn, those funds can only be used for “facilitating the replacement of legacy IT systems; transitioning to cloud computing services; addressing information security threats; or developmental, modernization and enhancement activities.”
The carrot would be a faster authorization process for cloud services.
The bill requires cloud providers be certified through FedRAMP, with an authority to operate (ATO) issued by an agency or the Joint Authorization Board (JAB).
Problem is, getting an ATO is a lengthy process, to the aggravation of agencies and CSPs alike.
To address this, the bill would also require GSA — the agency that houses FedRAMP — and OMB work to speed up the process.
The FedRAMP program office is already in the midst of what it’s calling “FedRAMP Accelerated,” which has shown some early gains in streamlining the process. The new legislation would look to spur this by having the National Institute of Standards and Technology develop “performance metrics” to measure the program’s progress.
The bill also requires OMB to file an annual report to Congress on this progress.
The cloud industry is understandably happy with this approach.
“Whether just getting started or well on their way, agencies and industry have learned that there is a need to streamline and accelerate the FedRAMP accreditation process and improve public-private interaction,” said Doug Bourgeois, a principal at Deloitte Consulting and former executive director of the Interior Department National Business Center, which manages cloud services for multiple agencies. “Also, having IT spending flexibility could also substantially accelerate the transition to cloud, allowing agencies to tap into the cloud and innovation at digital speed.”
The Professional Service Council also endorsed the MOVE IT Act, though President and CEO David Berteau voiced support for other similar initiatives, as well.
“Each of these initiatives has merit,” he said. “Before Congress adjourns for the year we hope that all of these ideas to improve federal IT can be drawn upon and a comprehensive bill enacted into law. The next president should have all of the tools necessary to make smart and effective use of the government’s information technology resources.”
