Spectrum IT Modernization: Incorporating Leading Practices Could Improve Planning Effort
Fast Facts
The radio-frequency spectrum is vital to a variety of commercial and government activities—such as broadcast television and air traffic control. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration manages federal use of this spectrum, and it uses multiple IT systems to do so.
The agency is working to modernize these IT systems. For example, it established a team to lead the effort, started market research, and identified the IT systems it wants to upgrade.
But the agency hadn't developed reliable cost estimates or a schedule, or detailed how it will regularly communicate with stakeholders about the project. We recommended it do so.
Examples of Federal Uses of Spectrum
Highlights
What GAO Found
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) manages federal use of spectrum, a scarce natural resource. NTIA and selected federal agencies and agency components have planning underway to modernize the outdated IT systems used to manage spectrum. NTIA has issued an initial high-level modernization plan, identified the IT systems to modernize, and placed a contract order for acquisition planning support. Before proceeding to the next phase on design, NTIA has to complete a number of activities including finalizing a concept of operations, assessing alternatives, and developing project management plans. Four other agencies and components are in the planning or pre-planning phases of modernizing their own spectrum-related IT. For example:
- Department of Defense officials told us they awarded a contract to analyze the department's spectrum IT and identify ways to improve it.
- National Science Foundation officials said they have funded a project to streamline the processing of spectrum use requests.
- The Federal Aviation Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration do not plan to begin modernization planning until more details become available from NTIA.
GAO's analysis of NTIA's modernization planning found that its efforts aligned with several leading practices but did not align for practices on developing cost estimates, developing a project schedule, communicating with stakeholders, and establishing performance measures.
Extent to Which NTIA Spectrum-Related IT Modernization Project Planning Efforts Aligned with Selected Leading Practices
NTIA officials acknowledged that additional work was needed to implement the practices and complete other required planning steps. Effectively doing so would position the agency to implement a successful modernization.
Why GAO Did This Study
Use of the radio-frequency spectrum is vital to a wide variety of commercial and government activities. To manage use for the federal government, NTIA relies on multiple, spectrum-related IT systems, that, according to agency officials, are out-of-date and ineffective. The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21 NDAA) required NTIA to submit to Congress a plan to modernize its spectrum-related IT. Other agencies with their own required spectrum-related IT modernization plans are expected to coordinate with NTIA to help ensure interoperability among systems.
The FY21 NDAA also includes a provision for GAO to biennially review NTIA's and other agencies' efforts to modernize their spectrum-related IT. This report examines (1) the status of NTIA's and selected agencies' efforts to modernize their spectrum-related IT and (2) the extent to which NTIA's IT modernization project planning aligns with selected leading practices. GAO reviewed IT modernization plans and other agency documentation; and assessed NTIA's project planning efforts against selected leading practices.
Recommendations
GAO is making four recommendations to NTIA to develop a reliable cost estimate, develop an integrated project schedule, finalize its stakeholder management plan, and establish performance measures. NTIA concurred with GAO's four recommendations and described activities it would undertake to implement them.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| National Telecommunications and Information Administration | The Office of Spectrum Management should develop a high-quality reliable cost estimate that aligns with cost estimating best practices as defined in GAO's Cost Guide and Agile Guide for the IT modernization project. (Recommendation 1) |
NTIA concurred with this recommendation. As of March 2024, NTIA stated that it is in the process of completing a cost estimate in accordance with GAO cost estimating best practices and developing performance measures for the IT modernization project.
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| National Telecommunications and Information Administration | The Office of Spectrum Management should develop a reliable integrated master schedule that aligns with scheduling best practices as defined in GAO's Schedule Assessment Guide and Agile Guide for the IT modernization project. (Recommendation 2) |
NTIA concurred with this recommendation. As of March 2024, NTIA stated that it had developed an overall plan for the project and would establish an integrated master schedule after it awards a contract for the IT modernization project.
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| National Telecommunications and Information Administration | The Office of Spectrum Management should finalize its stakeholder management plan. The plan should document a regular meeting schedule for the IT modernization project to ensure covered agencies have the ability to request information and communicate on NTIA's IT modernization project. (Recommendation 3) |
NTIA agreed to implement this recommendation from our March 2024 report and has taken steps to do so. NTIA officials confirmed in May 2024 that it had completed a stakeholder management plan that, according to officials, addresses this recommendation. In November 2024, NTIA officials stated that NTIA is reviewing the plan and anticipates an updated version in December 2024. Upon receiving the updated version, we will assess the plan to determine whether it implements this recommendation. By documenting how it will regularly involve and communicate progress to external stakeholders in appropriate time intervals, NTIA can better ensure that it is effectively identifying stakeholders' requirements and managing fragmentation issues that might impair IT interoperability.
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| National Telecommunications and Information Administration | The Office of Spectrum Management should develop performance measures for the IT modernization project that clearly link with the project's established goals and have specified targets and time frames. (Recommendation 4) |
NTIA concurred with this recommendation. As of March 2024, NTIA stated that it is in the process of completing a cost estimate in accordance with GAO cost estimating best practices and developing performance measures for the IT modernization project.
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