U.S. General Services Administration
GSA, GAO Partner in Centers of Excellence Initiative
The two agencies are entering into a sprint-based discovery phase to address strategy, acquisition, and technology challenges and solutions, including cloud architecture and security configuration
WASHINGTON - The U.S. General Services Administration today announced it has entered into an engagement with the U.S. Government Accountability Office as part of GSA’s Centers of Excellence (CoE) initiative, housed within its Technology Transformation Services (TTS) office. The CoE GAO partnership will accelerate establishing and operationalizing an Innovation Lab at GAO and provide additional technical infrastructure and cloud configuration support.
This CoE engagement will help expedite GAO’s Authority to Operate (ATO) processes for its newly established Innovation Lab’s cloud-based infrastructure, services, and tools. It will also advance the configuration of a flexible, scalable, and secure computational environment that is responsive to current and future needs. GAO’s Innovation Lab aims to shape the future of auditing by prototyping novel data science capabilities and exploring oversight impacts of emerging technologies such as digital ledgers and robotic process automation. GSA’s CoE team, under the leadership of TTS Director Anil Cheriyan, will leverage its experience and leading practices to support GAO’s innovation agenda.
“Today’s announcement illustrates the momentum of the CoE to deliver outcomes that drive mission effectiveness,” said TTS Director Anil Cheriyan. “Putting innovation at the core of everything we do, we’re excited to engage with GAO and provide guidance along their exciting journey.”
“With this latest CoE engagement, we look forward to building upon our prior work transforming federal IT to improve services to citizens,” said Executive Director of the CoE Bob De Luca. “Leveraging the CoE modernization approach will help GAO further its mission of helping the government save money and work more efficiently.”
The U.S. Government Accountability Office is the seventh agency to partner with GSA and apply the CoE approach to modernization. Other agencies include: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
As part of the Technology Transformation Services within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, the CoE initiative accelerates IT modernization at federal agencies by leveraging private sector innovation and government services while centralizing best practices and expertise for holistic transformation. TTS helps agencies make their services more accessible, efficient, and effective with modern applications, platforms, processes, personnel, and software solutions.
About GSA
The mission of the U.S. General Services Administration is to deliver value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across the government. One of GSA’s four strategic goals is to improve the way agencies buy, build and use technology. To learn more about GSA or the CoE visit gsa.gov or coe.gsa.gov and join the conversation on social media at @USGSA, @GSACOE and @GSAEmily.
About GAO
The Government Accountability Office, known as the investigative arm of Congress, is an independent, nonpartisan agency that exists to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities. GAO also works to improve the performance of the federal government and ensure its accountability to the American people. The agency examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions. GAO provides Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonideological, fair, and balanced. GAO's commitment to good government is reflected in its core values of accountability, integrity, and reliability. To learn more about GAO, visit gao.gov or on Twitter at @USGAO. Inquiries about GAO can also be directed to Charles Young at YoungC1@gao.gov.
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