DOGE Discoveries – Balancing Software Costs and Operational Efficiency
We need to rethink how we purchase and manage commercial software. While software can be highly beneficial, it also comes with significant and often recurring costs, including maintenance fees. Many enterprises are offered bundled seats or enterprise licenses, which provide flexibility and potential savings. While these arrangements prevent the need to buy a new license for every additional user, they must be carefully balanced against overall costs.
A common challenge is tracking existing software assets. Organizations frequently purchase additional licenses simply because they are unaware of what they already own. This issue is comparable to buying another can of WD-40 because you forgot one was in the garage—except at an enterprise level, the stakes are much higher. When discounts or enterprise agreements are involved, responsibility shifts from just the buyer to both the buyer and vendor.
For example, if a vendor sells software to a government agency under a "limited enterprise license," both parties should ensure existing licenses are used before making new purchases. However, relying on vendors to self-regulate is unrealistic. Instead, a structured enforcement mechanism is needed.
Proposed Policy Concept
Before selling new software to the U.S. government, vendors must verify that the purchasing entity is not already covered by an existing enterprise license, discount agreement, or available seats. If a post-sale audit reveals that such options were overlooked, the government should be entitled to claim three times the unnecessary expenditure as punitive damages.
The complexity of business operations should not be a shield for wasteful spending. If a doctor’s office repeatedly billed patients for services already paid, it would be considered fraud. Similarly, we cannot afford to waste taxpayer dollars on redundant software purchases. It’s time to implement accountability measures that protect critical funds and ensure smarter spending.