GovPay adopts shared-services provider model

As the Office of Management and Budget continues finalizing rules for how agencies analyze whether they should turn over control of their financial-management systems to a public or private shared-services provider, GovWorks, because of its automated GovPay system, would seem to be an option.David Sutfin, assistant director of the GovWorks Federal Acquisition Center, a Franchise Fund within the Interior Department, said that although GovWorks is not a shared-services provider, the franchise fund is beginning to look and act like one.Because of its GovPay automated invoice and billing system, the more than 850 civilian and Defense customers who use GovWorks are paying bills electronically—dramatically reducing interest on late payments and freeing up agency resources.“One of the aspects of GovPay is that it is a best practice around how you use the Internet,” Sutfin said. “This shows that the government can put in place processes that are the rival of what industry is doing.”OMB, through its financial-management Line of Business Consolidation initiative, is looking for certain agencies to service other federal users to streamline operations, reduce costs and let agencies focus more exclusively on their mission.Sutfin said GovPay, which has had a profound impact on the GovWorks team, could easily serve more customers.“As OMB is asking agencies to update their financial management, agencies will be migrating to newer systems,” Sutfin said. “GovPay represents the best of the breed.”He said the system is secure and meets all of OMB’s IT security requirements, and should be seen as a model for the FM LOB concept.“I think the system fits well with what OMB is doing,” he said.