DOJ, OPM get TMF boost to modernize legacy IT
The Department of Justice and Office of Personnel Management are getting funding infusions to modernize immigration case management and federal retirement systems, respectively, according to a General Services Administration announcement Tuesday.
The Technology Modernization Fund awards a total of $19.67 million, enabling the DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration Review to modernize a legacy case management system and backend databases that share information with Department of Homeland Security agencies, and aiding OPM’s move away from legacy IT to reduce costs and provide an enhanced experience for users.
“When just 13% of IT projects funded in a traditional manner are successful, the Technology Modernization Fund’s 80% success rate demonstrates its value as a funding model of choice,” Clare Martorana, the federal CIO and the TMF board chair, said in a statement.
DOJ will use $1.34 million to start automating document intake and exploring the creation of an “integrated address change system that shares information across key [DHS] agencies.” The agency expects the efforts to improve efficiency while delivering cost savings to itself and DHS.
Right now, EOIR relies on manual processes for “critical tasks,” like document intake and physical address changes.
Joshua Lashbrook, EOIR chief information officer, said that by embracing document ingestion automation, “we empower our team to reclaim precious time, allowing them to focus on high-impact tasks that drive our mission forward. Efficiency fuels innovation.”
OPM is using its $18.3 million in funds to continue the transition away from legacy systems and enable a “comprehensive modernization of the agency’s core infrastructure.” The agency expects that this will improve the experience for 2.8 million federal annuity recipients and survivors.
OPM said in the GSA press release that its current retirement systems rely on outdated software that is both expensive and a security risk.
Guy Cavallo, OPM’s CIO, said in a statement that federal government employees are the “largest workforce in the country, yet the technology supporting that workforce is aging and slowing us down. Modernizing the OPM mainframe is central to supporting both today and tomorrow’s job seekers, employees and retirees.”
