The data landscape was a different animal nine years ago. Back then, the world generated a paltry 15.5 zettabytes of yearly data. This year, that number is 791.94% greater and growing.  

These soaring data volumes can impact time-sensitive tasks and overwhelm manual processes in federal agencies, resulting in increased error rates while diverting resources from core missions and public service delivery. Ultimately, it’s an unsustainable approach. 

To address this problem, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) deploys software “bots” to handle tasks such as processing citizen applications, validating data across government databases, and generating compliance reports at a speed and scale beyond even the most meticulous and conscientious human. 

However, RPA benefits extend far beyond efficiency gains. It redefines how agencies fulfill their missions, streamlines operations, frees human capital and enhances public service delivery. Let’s take a closer look.

How RPA Can Transform Federal Agencies and Businesses

RPA software “bots” integrate with your IT platforms through user interfaces or APIs, ensuring quick and efficient deployment. They mimic human interaction with computer systems, automating many tasks without significantly changing your IT infrastructure.  

Plus, RPA delivers immediate results because these “digital assistants” can automate a range of tasks: 

1. Log into applications 
2. Navigate interfaces 
3. Enter and extract relevant data 
4. Perform calculations 
5. Trigger a host of responses based on pre-defined rules

For federal agencies, RPA enhances mission delivery by automating administrative tasks, managing data more efficiently, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, including NIST RMF automation. While businesses can leverage RPA to improve customer service, accelerate back-office processes, and optimize resource allocation. 

The Power of RPA + AI 

But RPA’s real power lies in its potential integration with AI. When implemented with disciplined development and robust governance processes, RPA becomes a cornerstone for digital transformation.  

It paves the way for seamless integration with advanced AI technologies, enabling organizations to create fully autonomous, unattended automation, positioning you to meet future challenges and capitalize on new opportunities. 

Top Ten RPA Benefits and Advantages  

In 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) implemented RPA to automate taxpayer data verification, resulting in an estimated 30,000 hours of recovered manual labor. This freed up IRS employees to focus on more complex tasks, significantly improving efficiency. 

Here are ten more robotic process automation benefits for US government. 

1. RPA is a Catalyst to Rethink Workflows For Federal Agencies 

To be clear, RPA is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Not all processes are candidates for automation. RPA shines in automating repetitive, rule-based tasks, but it’s not a magic bullet. For a successful implementation, consider this two-step approach:  

Step 1: Identify High-Impact Opportunities

• Uncover hidden inefficiencies in workflows to pinpoint tasks ripe for automation with a process analysis  
• Focus on strategic impact by prioritizing high-volume, error-prone processes with clear rules for maximum benefit 

Step 2: Ensure Measurable Value

• An ROI analysis factors cost savings, efficiency gains, and improved accuracy, ensuring your chosen RPA project delivers a strong ROI 

As part of its RPA implementation strategy, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) took a step back to conduct a comprehensive review of its processes and established a central RPA Office to manage bot development agency-wide  

This program’s strategic value is evident in its strong financial and operational results: 

• 66 automation systems are already in production 
• Up to 156,000 work hours saved annually 
• 29 more in development 
• Expected to save an additional 78,000 work hours 

2. RPA Streamlines Federal Agency Workflows

A survey found that 72% of finance teams spend up to 520 hours per year on tasks that could be automated. In comparison, logistics workers spend up to 50% of their time on manual tasks.  

Federal agencies, like other organizations, are offloading basic but cumbersome processes and enjoying the benefits of robotic process automation: 

• NASA: Implemented 59 RPA “bots,” saving over 150,000 hours annually in areas like finance, HR, and IT support 
• National Science Foundation (NSF): One RPA bot at NSF saves staff roughly 25,000 hours annually 
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Has deployed “bots” to handle routine reporting processes, reducing the time required to access and process IRS data, with potential time savings of 70-90% 

3. RPA Empowers Federal Employees 

With RPA handling routine tasks, teams can dedicate themselves to more strategic work that maximizes their skills, talent and determination. Freed from red tape and admin burdens, people have more time to uncover trends, analyze data and make informed decisions requiring creativity, critical thinking, and social interaction to improve mission delivery.  

Here are some more examples of how RPA empowers people to do more:  

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): RPA automates medical record retrieval, allowing VA doctors to spend less on administrative tasks and more time with patients 

• Social Security Administration (SSA): RPA streamlines benefit application processing, allowing SSA staff to handle complex cases and provide better constituent service 
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS): RPA automates data analysis for border security, allowing DHS personnel to focus on identifying high-risk individuals and preventing threats

By leveraging RPA’s strengths alongside the irreplaceable talents of federal employees, agencies are achieving new efficiency and service levels.

4. RPA Ensures Compliance in Federal Agencies

RPA does more than just speed things up. Federal agencies must navigate a complex warren of regulations to ensure compliance while delivering their core services efficiently. RPA was made for this.  

Robotic Process Automation streamlines compliance by automating tasks like data validation and form completion, ensuring consistent adherence to regulations. This minimizes errors, reduces non-compliance fines, and frees agencies to focus on core missions. 

For instance:  

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS): DHS uses RPA to maintain detailed logs and audit trails for immigration processing, ensuring adherence to legal standards and facilitating easier audits 
• General Services Administration (GSA): GSA automates procurement processes with RPA, ensuring each transaction complies with federal acquisition regulations and maintaining a comprehensive audit trail 

By integrating RPA, federal agencies can enhance compliance, reduce risks, and streamline audits across multiple functions and systems. For more information on how IPKeys can automate your agency’s compliance processes, visit IPKeys NIST Risk Management Framework Automation Solutions. 

5. RPA Reduces Operational costs for Federal Agencies 

By automating repetitive, rule-based tasks, RPA can dramatically cut operational expenses. Here’s a breakdown of RPA’s cost reductions across multiple fronts: 

• Virtual Workforce: RPA software “bots” eliminate the need for office space, furniture, hardware, and utilities associated with traditional staff, leading to real estate and infrastructure cost savings 
• Error-Free Execution: Studies show humans make errors in 0.5% to 4% of data entry tasks, and that rate can soar to 30% in complex processes; RPA automates tasks with exceptional accuracy, minimizing these errors and the cycle of rework 
• Focus on Missions: By eliminating errors and repetitive tasks, RPA frees federal employees to focus on mission-critical activities, allowing agencies to redirect funds previously spent on error correction and administrative overhead 

6. RPA Tightens Security and Data Protection at the DoD 

Federal agencies handle a proliferation of sensitive data daily, and ensuring its security is paramount. RPA solves this by automating tasks and minimizing the leading cause of data breaches. Human error.,  

This is how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) leverages RPA to enhance data protection: 

• Automated Security Compliance: The DoD implements RPA “bots” programmed to adhere to strict security protocols, ensuring all data processed within their financial management systems meets stringent federal security requirements 

• Reduced Human Error Risk: By automating data handling and processing, the DoD minimizes the risk of errors associated with manual data entry or manipulation, significantly reducing the risk of data breaches 
• Improved Efficiency and Accuracy: RPA streamlines financial data processing, liberating personnel and improving overall efficiency and data handling 

Discover how IPKeys’ extensive experience with RPA solutions for the DoD can enhance your agency’s data security and protect against cyber threats. Visit IPKeys Cybersecurity & Analytics for more. 

7. RPA Breaks Down Silos and Boosts Interagency Collaboration  

Like the private sector, many federal agencies grapple with complex workflows across multiple departments and organizations. RPA dissolves these information silos by automating data sharing and streamlining cross-agency processes.  

With RPA, mission-critical data flows smoothly and securely across departments and agencies by automating manual processing while reducing bottlenecks and human error rates as high as 30%. 

• The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Has already implemented RPA to improve information sharing with other agencies involved in border security and immigration enforcement 
• The CBP Office of Information and Technology (OIT): Worked with partners to create the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Availability Dashboard, which provides real-time views of critical systems, improving interagency collaboration  

8. RPA Enhances Emergency Response Efficiency  

Federal agencies like the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) have significantly improved their emergency response operations by implementing Robotic Process Automation (RPA).  

or instance, IPKeys has successfully implemented and maintained Police, Fire, and Emergency Services (POLC) solutions for DLA Information Operations (J6), including NG911, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), and Records Management Systems (RMS) for both law enforcement and Fire and Emergency Services (FES).  

To date, the DLA’s use of RPA in Police, Fire, and Emergency Services has achieved: 

• Faster Response: Automating tasks within CAD systems frees up dispatchers to focus on critical emergencies, reducing response times 
• Accurate Data: Automating data entry in RMS minimizes human error, ensuring vital information is readily available for first responders, improving situational awareness 
• Boosted Efficiency: Streamlining workflows for reports and permits allows law enforcement and emergency personnel to focus on core duties and community engagement 
• Coordinated Response: NG911 integration with RPA facilitates automated notifications, ensuring everyone has the latest information for a coordinated response 

9. RPA Breathes New Life into Legacy Systems  

Caught between the reliability of tried-and-true legacy systems and the promises of modern technologies to improve efficiency? RPA can transform your agency’s time-tested systems. 

 Like many agencies, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses a mix of legacy and modern systems. Manually transferring veteran health records between these systems, specifically from the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) to the new Cerner Millennium EHR system, was time-consuming and error-prone. 

However, the VA implemented RPA to automate data extraction and transfer and discovered: 

• Speed: Transferring records now takes seconds instead of hours 
• Accuracy: Manual errors are virtually eliminated 
• Efficiency: Staff can focus on providing quality care instead of data entry tasks  
• Continuity of Care: Veterans receive a better quality of service with complete medical records readily available 

10. RPA is Flexible and Easy to Scale 

RPA provides federal agencies with the scalability needed to handle varying workloads. During peak times, such as tax season for the IRS, RPA “bots” can scale up to manage increased volumes of data and transactions, ensuring that services remain efficient and effective without additional temporary staff. 

As priorities shift, “bots” can be reprogrammed for different tasks. This adaptability extends to seamless replication across departments and easy updates for policy changes. Lastly, incremental implementation allows agencies to start small and scale up as the benefits of RPA are proven, while consistent performance under varying loads ensures seamless service delivery. 

Unlock Robotics Process Automation Benefits With IPKeys 

IPKeys has successfully developed, deployed, and maintained RPA systems for federal agencies like the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). With our support, DLA has become the only RPA customer in the Federal Government with a scaled Unattended automation architecture, showcasing RPA’s transformative potential when implemented effectively. 

Our RPA initiative has delivered significant results for DLA: 

• Over 100 automations were implemented, freeing up government teams and enabling 24/7 operations 
• Contributed over 838,295 hours back to DLA’s mission in total, in addition to an estimated 290,405+ hours in the coming year 
• Completed over 200 automations, with 160 currently running unattended 

Ready to automate your processes?  

IPKeys’ development approach is designed to be flexible, adapting to organization’s preferences, evolving methods, and the latest cybersecurity tools.  

Here’s how we can assist: 

• Continuous Evaluation: We continually review product roadmaps and release notes from RPA vendors, evaluating new tools and capabilities to recommend the best solutions for our customers 
• Stakeholder Collaboration: We work closely with stakeholders, including Process Owners, to define Quantitative Business Impact (QBI) to ensure our solutions deliver measurable business outcomes 
• Pre- and Post-Deployment Assessments: Before deployment, we collaborate with our customers to establish QBIs and measure outcomes post-implementation, ensuring that the RPA solutions achieve their intended value 

• Consistent with Agile best practices: We conduct Sprint Retrospectives to reflect on successes and identify areas for improvement and frequently review these findings with our customers and coordinate potential process enhancements with our delivery teams 
• Customer Feedback: By soliciting customer feedback through TDD Reviews and demos (User Acceptance Tests), we enhance our support procedures, collaboration, and overall customer satisfaction 
• Experienced & Certified: Our broad experience delivering successful projects for the federal government is bolstered by our CMMI-SVC and ISO-9001:2015 certifications, giving you confidence in our software delivery 

Visit Software & Systems Engineering Services to explore how IPKeys can transform your agency’s operations with RPA. Or schedule an RPA assessment today.