FIRM Exit Strategy

1
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,
  USDAs ARS, FSA, and RD)
• Only IRS, HHS and Bureau of Reclamation make use
  of FIRM to reconcile their rent bills.

2
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 IVV of FIRM in May 2002
• The IVV 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

3
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 IVV 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 MPs
  e-RealEstate pilots

4
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