GAO Says DHS' Large-Scale IT Weaknesses Increase Risk of Cost, Schedule Delays, Etc.
On September 15, 2009, a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Subcommittee1 held a hearing entitled "Investment and Acquisition Challenges at the Department of Homeland Security."
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The hearing examined DHS' establishment of key investment management capabilities associated with successfully delivering major acquisitions programs, with a particular focus on large-scale information technology (IT) systems. Testimony was given by the Government Accountability Office and DHS.
The following are highlights of GAO's testimony presented at the hearing:
DHS Has Made Uneven Progress in Institutionalizing Framework of Management Controls, Etc.
DHS invests more than $6 billion annually in large-scale IT systems to help it achieve mission outcomes and transform department-wide operations. GAO stated that since its inception, DHS has made uneven progress in its efforts to institutionalize a framework of interrelated management controls and capabilities associated with effectively and efficiently acquiring such large-scale IT systems.
Large-Scale Investments Have Weaknesses That Increase Risk of Cost, Etc.
GAO added that DHS' large-scale IT investments have been exposed to risk because key acquisition and IT management controls have not always been effectively implemented.
Certain DHS IT investments have disclosed a range of program management control weaknesses that have increased the risk of cost, schedule delays, and performance shortfalls. Such weaknesses are contributing to programs falling short of their capability, benefit, cost, and schedule expectations.
CBP Represents Largest IT Investor, for Programs Such as ACE
In fiscal year 2009, DHS IT-related funding totaled about $6.2 billion, which supports 279 major IT acquisition programs.
Of DHS' principal component organizations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection represents the largest IT investor (about $1.7 billion, or 28%). Perhaps one of the most notable of CBP's investments is the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
ACE was begun in 2001 to modernize trade processing and support border security by, among other things, fully automating commercial import and export data processing and facilitating information sharing among federal agencies with a trade-related mission. Through FY 2009, DHS has been appropriated about $2.7 billion for ACE, and for FY 2010, the department has requested about $268 million.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/27/09 news 09082705, for BP summary of CBP, other government agencies, and COAC members discussion of ACE's status at the August 5th COAC meeting.)
1Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement
Hearing information, including GAO testimony, is available at http://governmentmanagement.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2584