Information Technology and Centralized Processing

What this funds

Table FS-11. Information Technology and Centralized Processing Detail Table (thousands of Information Technology and Centralized Processing - Justification of Changes A decrease of $200,260,000 in Information Technology and Centralized Processing base information technology (IT) services, including telecommunications. Of this decrease, $75 million will be requested by DOI as part of the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service to support fire-related IT for the unified wildland fire organization. Information Technology and Centralized Processing - Status of Programs The IT and Centralized Processing program supports the Forest Service's efforts to protect the Nation's forests, improve land management, and provide public safety. A key objective of the program is to consolidate shared services across the Department of Agriculture to reduce duplication, streamline operations, and achieve measurable cost savings. The program also prioritizes investing in targeted training and upskilling initiatives that enhance technical proficiency and support adoption of emerging technologies. This program funds and manages all IT-related expenditures throughout the Forest Service's operational and mission areas. This includes enterprise-level cybersecurity, telecommunications infrastructure, and shared technology services that support program execution and strategic objectives. The Forest Service oversees a portfolio of critical investments providing essential enterprise IT support or services for the Forest Service while offering specialized services for The Forest Service is actively exploring opportunities to modernize its business applications and decision support tools by transitioning to commercial "off-the-shelf" solutions such as Microsoft PowerApps. This strategic initiative is intended to reduce development and maintenance costs, improve scalability, and accelerate delivery of digital services. A key example of this strategy is the implementation of the Electronic Content and Correspondence System (ELCS), which replaces the legacy Mercury correspondence system. ELCS leverages modern cloud-based architecture and low-code development platforms to streamline document management and enhance operational efficiency across the Forest The Forest Service has begun moving away from its legacy Virtual Desktop Infrastructure to Azure Virtual Desktop as part of its broader cloud modernization strategy. This shift permits more scalable, secure, and cost-effective remote access to Forest Service applications and data. Azure Virtual Desktop offers improved performance, simplified management, and enhanced integration with Microsoft 365 and other enterprise tools. By leveraging cloud- native capabilities, the Forest Service is reducing infrastructure overhead, improving user experience, and aligning with the USDA enterprise cloud adoption goals. Lastly, the Forest Service has implemented Passkey to replace the MobileLinc authentication platform. This strategy is expected to generate approximately one million dollars in annual cost savings while improving enterprise security and user experience. In FY 2027, the Forest Service's IT program will continue to support mission delivery through strategic collaboration with USDA. The Forest Service aims to improve service delivery by modernizing legacy systems and deploying scalable, cloud-based solutions, strengthening cybersecurity, and ensuring that technology investments are aligned with As part of its forward-looking strategy, the program is exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning to enhance data-driven decision-making, automate routine processes, and improve operational efficiency across mission-critical functions. A key initiative supporting this strategy involves applying AI to improve the Comment and Analysis Response Application portal, which supports the intake, categorization, and storage of public comments submitted under the National Environmental Policy Act. These enhancements aim to streamline comment processing, improve accuracy, and reduce The Forest Service IT program has expanded its portfolio assessment strategy to drive greater transparency, efficiency, and value. The capital planning team continues to track cost savings and cost avoidance across IT investments, informing strategic decisions and budget planning. In collaboration with USDA, the program reviewed over $300 million in the WCF agreements, identifying opportunities for service consolidation and pricing optimization. Forest Service completed a comprehensive analysis of IT contract labor utilization, resulting in targeted contract consolidations and improved resource alignment. These evaluations support ongoing efforts to modernize the IT portfolio, reduce overhead, and ensure technology investments are mission-aligned and fiscally responsible.

Extracted from Forest Service, p. 22. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

Contracts funded by this line

9 linked contracts. These are obligations — lifetime awarded money — and they are not comparable to the request above and are never added to it. No total is shown: an award linked to several lines is counted in full on each, so the sum would not be a fact.

Showing 8 of 9 — most confidently matched first, largest within a confidence tier. These are not necessarily the largest 8.

Confidence mix · 9 medium

Linked contracts are a floor, not a census. Coverage is bounded by how distinctively a program is named and, for performer links, to RDT&E and Procurement — O&M and military construction publish no performers. Budget figures are FY2027 request dollars; contract figures are obligations. The two measure different things and must never be summed together.

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Answers come from the figures on this page and nothing else. These dollars are parsed from Agriculture (USDA)'s Congressional Justification and are approximate — confirm anything that matters against the cited page.