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FIRM Exit Strategy. Development of FIRM was undertaken when few COTS packages for real property existed FIRM was developed as a real property inventory management tool Agencies have an ever-growing need for an asset management tool as opposed to an inventory management tool
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FIRM Exit Strategy • Development of FIRM was undertaken when few COTS packages for real property existed • FIRM was developed as a real property inventory management tool • Agencies have an ever-growing need for an asset management tool as opposed to an inventory management tool • It has become apparent that FIRM is not meeting the needs of agencies • FIRM has a history of not working well and a reputation of poor contractor support; as a result it is not liked by most agencies • FIRM usage dropped to 8 agencies in the past few years (DOJ, IRS, HHS, Bureau of Reclamation, IBB, USDA’s ARS, FSA, and RD) • Only IRS, HHS and Bureau of Reclamation make use of FIRM to reconcile their rent bills.
FIRM Exit Strategy • GSA contracted for a study of commercially available software, resulting in the “FIRM Analysis & Commercial System Review Report, April 15, 2002” • This report determined: • That FIRM is not as robust as many COTS packages, and • There are sufficient COTS packages to meet agency needs • GSA contracted for an IV&V of FIRM in May 2002 • The IV&V recommendation indicates FIRM needs to be completely reworked • GSA can no longer afford to support and rework FIRM • GSA notified agencies on July 26, 2002 that it would support FIRM only through FY 2003
FIRM Exit Strategy GSA will: • Provide FIRM support through FY 2003 • Support includes FIRM 7 de-bugging, and • Delivery of installation CDs to allow agencies to install or reinstall FIRM 7 as necessary • Provide IV&V report with FIRM source code to interested agencies and private companies • Provide information on COTS applications that agencies could purchase to replace FIRM • Work with PBS to ensure agencies continue to have electronic access to their GSA rent information • Invite agencies to participate in MP’s e-RealEstate pilots
FIRM Exit Strategy • Agencies may continue to use FIRM after FY 2003 • Agencies have the option of sending updates to the Worldwide Inventory using XML technology or updating on-line • GSA will host an open house for vendors to demonstrate their real property software packages to interested agencies