The FBI is abandoning a $170 million computer system due to technical and planning problems but will try to salvage parts of the costly software program.

The Virtual Case File, an electronic database of the FBI's case files meant to facilitate sharing of information, was called outdated by top officials. The agency will pay a research firm $2 million to determine whether parts of it can still be used.

Science Applications International Corp. of San Diego wrote the software for the FBI. The company defended its work but the Justice Department's inspector general, in a draft report, has concluded the system is unusable, according to news reports.

Get the Story:
FBI Rejects Its New Case File Software (The Washington Post 1/14)
pwpwd
F.B.I. May Scrap Vital Overhaul of Its Outdated Computer System (The New York Times 1/14)
pwnyt

Related Stories:
DOI concealed TAAMS problems from court (4/22)
Court looks into TAAMS 'concealment' (11/07)
Court probes Norton's trust fund report (10/11)
Norton's witness on TAAMS does damage (09/23)