{
  "id": "RL34257",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL34257",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 340938,
      "date": "2007-11-21",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T03:57:02.459915",
      "title": "Earned Value Management (EVM) as an Oversight Tool for Major Capital Investments",
      "summary": "This report focuses on a technique\u2014earned value management (EVM)\u2014for overseeing the cost, schedule, and performance of major capital investments during the investment process (e.g., information technology systems, structures, weapons systems). EVM provides metrics to help inform assessments of whether capital investments are \u201con track\u201d from three perspectives: the investment\u2019s planned cost, time schedule, and functionality. Variance from a project\u2019s planned cost, schedule, and functionality might occur due to the inherent complexity and uncertainty of a project, poor planning or implementation, or, sometimes, simply bad luck. Although EVM attempts to address several significant monitoring and evaluation issues, other evaluation techniques are typically necessary in order to understand why variance from the planned cost, schedule, or functionality might be occurring. In addition, other evaluation methods are typically more useful in assessing other significant questions, such as whether a project is worth undertaking (or continuing) and, after the investment process is completed, whether an investment might be having an impact on achievement of an agency\u2019s mission or the success of a public policy, compared with what would have happened without the investment.\nEVM may be of increasing salience in executive branch practices and, implicitly or explicitly, in presentations to Congress. This report begins by putting EVM within a broader context of risk management and how capital investments are often evaluated and monitored throughout their life cycles. Next, the report provides an overview of EVM terminology and concepts by using an example and illustrating a few potential oversight issues and caveats. The report concludes with some potential oversight questions for Congress. The report will be updated periodically.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL34257",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Intelligence and National Security",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}