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In response to the advances in the private sector, the government is attempting to utilize modern technology to enhance governance and improve efficiency. Applying IT to government will generate cost savings, enable "24/7" access and allow citizens to easily navigate or avoid bureaucratic hurdles altogether.
There has been significant discussion as to whether or not Congress should separately fund e-government or whether it should be an element of the federal government's broader information technology budget. Additionally, legislators have suggested that government agencies receiving failing grades for computer security should be penalized with federal funding cuts. In its own assessment in 2004, the government received an overall D+ for government IT capabilities and programs, clearly indicating a need for public and private assistance.
Last year, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) created the Information Technology (IT) Security Line of Business task force to assist agencies in identifying security problems and proposing cost-effective solutions. OMB recently told Congress Cabinet secretaries should be held accountable for their agency's failing grades.
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HP's position |
HP supports increasing federal privatization of non-mission critical IT services and increasing the FY06 spending budget for e-government. It is important for civilian agencies to integrate their systems, data, processes and people, and enable their constituents to easily access programs, services and information.
HP believes it is the responsibility of industry and government to work together to ensure privacy and security. The American public should have safe access to government resources without concern for identity theft or other security-related issues.
HP continues to support the OMB in its efforts to transform government IT infrastructure and provide additional security guidelines to help improve agency efforts.
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HP's history |
HP is actively engaging the Bush administration on e-government, including meetings at the White House Office of Management and Budget. HP has a proven track record of e-government success, including several U.S. states, European Union countries and Hong Kong.
Currently, HP is working with its government customers to enable interoperability between agencies and legacy systems while transforming disparate agency applications and data into integrated solutions. For example, HP has been working closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on integrating its systems. As the newest agency, DHS faces many interoperable challenges, challenges in which HP is in a unique position to expertly address as a result of HP's successful IT integration following the Compaq merger.
HP is also working closely with Department of Justice to integrate data and IT systems among the various law enforcement agencies within the department's jurisdiction. HP's experience in building e-passport and standardized licensing systems in countries like Poland and New Zealand will also prove useful as it assists U.S. agencies with establishing similar programs.
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Additional information |
Please contact Larry Estrada at (202) 378-2508, for more information on HP and e-government issues.
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