OMB seeks budget system upgrade

OMB calls for proposals to improve the systems that handle the government's budget process

OMB's request for proposals

The Office of Management and Budget is asking industry for proposals on how to improve the systems that handle the federal government's budget process.

The June 18 request for proposals calls for a small business to maintain the existing applications and systems while upgrading those systems "to extend and expand existing capabilities in an evolutionary manner." OMB is seeking responses by Aug. 1.

OMB uses a network of IBM Corp. mainframes, Unix systems and desktop computers to support its budget review and development process. At the center of this is the MAX A-11 Data Entry System, which handles all the information under Circular A-11 that is passed between OMB and the agencies during the formulation of the president's annual budget request to Congress.

The agency has planned two initiatives to improve the MAX A-11 system, including securing the transmission of the data on the network and extending the system to collect data from the agencies. Under this RFP, the contractor will support those initiatives.

"The desired result is a comprehensive set of integrated data and application systems capable of supporting many related functions throughout OMB's organization units," the RFP states.

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