OMB POLICY STATEMENTS
OMB: Software Licensing
The OMB is telling agencies to consult with legal counsel before making software purchases in order to make sure all licensing requirements are satisfied. According to the OMB these requirements can be “legally complex and can directly impact agency operations.” Open source software is a major concern for the OMB because it is sometimes different in security, total cost of ownership and the effect of the software’s use.

“Agencies must consider the total cost of ownership including lifecycle maintenance costs, the costs associated with risk issues, including security and privacy of data, and the costs of ensuring security of the IT system,” the latest memo said.