s. The MBTA’s experience is just one example of how opening government data to the public can spur innovation, create jobs for those who use the data to develop new applications, and save taxpayer money.
Using open technologies creates cost efficiencies, more responsive and innovative software, and can help governments, enterprises and individual users avoid being dependent on a single vendor for software solutions. A 2009 Meritalk study indicated the U.S. federal government could save $3.7 billion by switching to open source solutions. Further, open source code is publicly available for review, meaning that flaws are more easily discovered and fixed. Open technologies are also a key ingredient to achieving the administration’s drive to align the Federal budget and acquisition process with the technology cycle, strengthen program management, increase engagement with the IT community, and adopt light technologies and shared solutions. (See Driving IT Reform: An Update, November
19, 2010). In many respects, the success of this reform effort will be more likely with continued emphasis and utilization of open technologies. In light of the benefits that open technologies can bring to governments, and ultimately its citizens, Open Source for America (OSFA) conducted a review of fifteen (15) Cabinet-level departments and agencies to determine their use of open source technologies, open formats, and technology tools for citizen engagement. The results are summarized in this Federal Open Technology Report
The survey included questions regarding public budgets, use of social media, and open source technologies practices. OSFA invited participation and review by agency representatives from the Administration’s newly formed Open Government Working Group. Report card results combine direct agency input as well as independent research conducted by OSFA.
All line-items required substantiation through publicly available government websites. This independent research was intentionally limited to public agency websites, recognizing that public access and transparency are inseparable in the government context. Answers to the questions determined the score of each agency, with the use of open source technologies and open formats weighing most heavily. This included items such as publishing public documents in open file formats, participating in open source software creation and providing guidance on procurement policies surrounding open technologies.
This study was conducted three months after the agencies submitted their Open Government Plans and is intended to demonstrate baseline data in the beginning of a long journey towards openness and transparency in the federal government. While some of the agencies scored very well, most agencies fell below the 50 percent. Given that this is the first year that the agencies are operating under the Directive and the Open Government Plans, Open Source for America feels the results demonstrate a positive beginning, but with some room for improvement.
The Department of Defense (DOD) achieved the highest score. The DOD has issued procurement policies for open technologies as well as guidance facilitating participation by government employees in open source projects. The Department is demonstrably ahead of the curve in terms of recognizing the benefits and using open technologies. OSFA would encourage other agencies to use DOD policies and practices as a model for implementation within their own departments. Other findings, according to the survey:
• The highest scorers (Defense and Energy) have published agency-created software code as open source and provide clear guidance identifying open source as a permitted procurement option.
• All agencies publish at least some forms in open file format standards and accept files from the public in multiple document formats.
• Agencies generally scored well on transparency questions, by publishing budgets in search-able formats and Freedom of Information (FOIA)information on their websites.
As previously discussed, Open Source for America recognizes that this is