Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act
Sponsored By: Senator Gary Peters
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a government-wide framework to improve visibility and cost control of federal software assets. It would require agency CIOs to inventory software, analyze entitlements and costs, assess interoperability, and build modernization plans with set deadlines.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Agency CIOs must make software plans
If enacted, each agency CIO would use the assessment to make a Software Modernization Plan and file it within one year after the agency head submits the assessment. The plan must aim to consolidate entitlements, adopt enterprise or open-source licensing, cut excess licenses, and require CIO approval before components buy new entitlements. Plans must also include automation tools, staff training, cost and savings estimates, remediation steps, and estimates of resources needed.
Federal agencies must inventory software
If enacted, each agency CIO would have 18 months to complete a full assessment of all software the agency pays for, uses, or deploys. The assessment would list entitlements, contracts, top providers, cloud fees, unused or duplicate charges, and interoperability limits. The agency head would have 30 days to send the assessment to the Director, the Administrator, the Comptroller General, and two Congressional oversight committees. Contractors with conflicts of interest could not do the work and hired contractors must stay independent of software operations.
Standardize federal software buying
If enacted, the Director would work with agency councils and industry to harmonize common definitions, contract terms, and requirements to help agencies carry out modernization plans. The Director would share best practices from agency assessments and submit a report with recommendations to Congress not later than two years after enactment. The report would focus on improving interoperability, consolidating licenses, and reducing costs where appropriate.
GAO report on federal software management
If enacted, the Comptroller General would deliver a government-wide report within three years. The report would compare agencies' software asset management, review whether the Director set up harmonization processes, and check agency compliance with contractor restrictions. The GAO may include other findings and recommendations on the agency plans.
No new money for implementation
If enacted, the bill would not authorize any new appropriations to carry out these requirements. Agencies would need to use existing funds to do the assessments and plans, which could limit how fully they are implemented.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Gary Peters
MI • D
Cosponsors
Bill Cassidy
LA • R
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Joni Ernst
IA • R
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Thomas Tillis
NC • R
Sponsored 6/4/2025
James Lankford
OK • R
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Ron Wyden
OR • D
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in