HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.
![handle is hein.gao/gaobacwnr0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON, D C. 20548
CIVIL DIVISION
OCT 3 11969
Dear Mr. Cliff:
In June 1969, we requested your comments on a draft report concern-
ing theLForest Service's planning for acquisition and operation of
computers in its four western regions]
We stated in the draft report that our review showed that the Forest
Service had purchased and installed automatic data processing (ADP) equip-
ment in the four western regions which was not sufficiently capable of
meeting then existing and anticipated ADP workloads. We concluded that
this situation ocurred primarily because top management personnel of the
Forest Service did not adequately participate in planning for the acquisi-
tion and operation of the ADP equipment.
The draft report also included a discussion of the current studies
underway in the Forest Service to (1) determine management information
needs, (2) develop an improved accounting system, and (3) determine the
ADP requirements and equipment needed to develop an integrated data pro-
cessing system. Because of the scope of these efforts, we stated our view
that the Department's Office of Management Improvement (OMI) should parti-
cipate more directly in all major aspects of the studies which concern the
design, installation, and operation of the integrated data processing
system. Such participation would be in line with OMI's general responsi-
bility for coordinating and directing ADP activities within the Department
and its specific responsibility for formulating standards and guidelines
for a Department-wide ADP program
The Deputy Chief, Forest Service, in his comments on the draft report
dated July 31, 1969, advised us of steps being taken to involve OMI in the
Forest Service's study to determine ADP requirements and equipment. The
Deputy Chief also stated that it was the Forest Service's position that
its decision to select and purchase the ADP equipment installed in the four
western regions was based on as good information on systems requirements as
could be obtained at the time and that current efforts by the Forest Service
represent a stage of development in applying total systems concepts, which
is considerably more advanced than those which existed when plans were being
made to install ADP equipment in the four western regions.
We continue to believe that participation by top management of the
Forest Service in planning for the acquisition and operation of ADP equip-
ment in the four western regions was not adequate. However, in view of](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobacwnr0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)