TIA was proposed as a program shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001 by Rear Admiral John Poindexter . A former national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan and a key player in the Iran – Contra affair , he was working with Syntek Technologies , a company often contracted out by the government for work on defense projects . TIA was officially commissioned during the 2002 fiscal year . Poindexter was appointed Director of the newly created Information Awareness Office division of DARPA in January 2002 , which managed TIA 's development . The office temporarily operated out of the fourth floor of DARPA 's headquarters , while Poindexter looked around for a place which could permanently house TIA 's researchers . Soon Project Genoa was successfully completed and its research moved on to Genoa II
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Total Information Awareness