The IRS is not adequately performing software license management and is not adhering to federal requirements and industry best practices for software used on desktop and laptop computers, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has said.
It said, for example, the agency does not have enterprise-wide or local policies, procedures and requirements for software license management, and that it lacks specialized software license tools designed to be the repository for software and software license deployment.
Further, the IRS does not have an accurate inventory of software and related licenses that contains licensing models applicable to each software product which links data on the licenses purchased and deployed with the purchase costs, procurement information, and monitoring and usage data, TIGTA said.
It said the agency agreed to develop policies and guidance as well as roles and responsibilities for managing software assets and licenses, implement a specialized software license management tool and operating procedures, develop an inventory of software licensing data and maintain the inventory with a specialized software licensing tool, and maintain data in the inventory that the IRS can use to more effectively manage software spending.
