Over the years, voice and data networks have evolved  separately, with voice networks relying on circuit-switching methods  while data networks largely use packet-switching techniques. Organization and Responsibilities of the National Communications System

As part of the creation of DHS under the Homeland Security Act of 2002,  NCS was transferred to DHS from the Department of Defense. 2, or ESF-2), under the  National Response Framework. NCS Provides Priority Calling Services for NS/EP Personnel and Has Designed Mechanisms to Manage Access to These Services

In order to overcome network congestion, NCS has implemented priority  calling programs to provide NS/EP personnel within all levels of  government, as well as the private and non-profit sectors, with  communications services during incidents of national security or  emergency that can overwhelm the telecommunications network. The  two primary programs NCS provides to deliver priority calling are the  Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and the  Wireless Priority Service (WPS). Despite the outreach efforts NCS has undertaken to increase participation  in its priority calling programs, WPS fees are a barrier to participation in  the program, according to NCS. NCS Has Designed Procedures and Controls to Limit Access to Authorized Subscribers

Federal internal control standards state that documented policies and  procedures to control access to agency resources and records to  authorized individuals are essential to accountability and safeguarding  assets, and NCS has developed and implemented policies and procedures  to help ensure that access to its programs is limited to authorized  subscribers. State and  local governments as well as private and nonprofit organizations bear all  of the costs related to the usage of the GETS and WPS programs. However, methods for  implementation and evaluation of its related satellite pilot were unclear  and NCS subsequently terminated the pilot. NCS Launched the Satellite Pilot Program without Clear Methods for Implementation and Evaluation and Has Since Terminated the Pilot

In December 2007, NCS launched a satellite pilot program to provide an  alternative means to support NS/EP communications to help circumvent  network congestion or outages in the PSTN. NCS Has Implemented Strategic Planning Efforts, but These Could Be Strengthened by Incorporating Key Planning and Performance Measurement Practices

NCS has been developing its strategic plan since 2007, and although  officials have stated that a strategic plan could help inform their efforts, it  has not been finalized. While NCS’s performance measures generally link to overall goals and  objectives, NCS’s performance measures focus exclusively on its priority  calling programs, and NCS does not have measures to assess the  performance of its other two primary responsibilities—serving as the ESF- 2 coordinator and the lead federal agency for critical infrastructure  protection for the communications sector. Furthermore, the baseline  upon which each annual average cost goal is determined is the number of  GETS and WPS subscribers. As NCS undertakes a variety of  new initiatives and attempts to strengthen existing programs, finalizing its  strategic plan will also help strengthen NCS’s ability to efficiently and  effectively allocate resources, inform key stakeholders, and provide  agency and congressional decision makers the ability to assess NCS’s  programs and initiatives. Recommendations for Executive Action

To help ensure that NCS management has sufficient information needed to  assess and improve NCS’s programs and new initiatives and to effectively  support budget decisions, we recommend that the Secretary of DHS direct  the Manager of the NCS to take the following three actions:    Develop program plans for the NS/EP NGN initiative that outline an  acquisition approach based on available technologies, realistic cost  estimates, and that include mitigation plans to address identified  challenges and risks. We also interviewed  NCS officials to obtain information on the agency’s role in ensuring  continuity of communications, the types of priority communications  capabilities it provides to the national security and emergency  preparedness (NS/EP) community—specifically through the GETS, WPS,  and Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) programs—as well as the  types of challenges, if any, the agency may face in providing these  services. To determine what challenges can affect NCS’s delivery of its priority  communications programs, we interviewed relevant NCS officials who  have responsibilities for these programs. We  compared this information with our previous work on pilot program  planning and technology acquisition.
Why GAO Did This Study

Government functions and effective disaster response and management rely on the ability of national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) personnel to communicate. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) National Communications System (NCS), is responsible for ensuring continuity of NS/EP communications when network congestion or damage occurs. As requested, GAO assessed the (1) priority communication programs NCS provides, how it enlists subscribers, and to what extent NCS controls access to these programs; (2) challenges that can affect delivery of these programs; and (3) extent to which NCS plans for and evaluates its services. GAO reviewed NCS program documents, such as annual reports and access control procedures and data on program subscribers. GAO also interviewed officials from NCS and select state and local government entities. GAO compared NCS performance measures to federal best practices.

What GAO Found

NCS has two programs to provide NS/EP personnel with priority calling service when telephone networks are congested or damaged--the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and the Wireless Priority Service (WPS). NCS has undertaken several efforts, such as outreach at industry conferences, to increase participation in and control access to these programs. According to NCS, though outreach efforts have helped to increase overall enrollment, it is working to further address possible cost barriers to participation in WPS, such as discussing options with wireless carriers to help defray costs. In addition, NCS has implemented policies and procedures to ensure that access to its priority programs are limited to authorized users. GAO's review of select GETS and WPS subscriber data revealed that, of the 85 records we examined, NCS generally followed its policies and procedures to limit GETS and WPS access to authorized subscribers. NCS is taking steps to address inherent challenges in the communications environment--such as network congestion. For example, NCS initiated a satellite pilot program to allow NS/EP officials to circumvent severely damaged or congested traditional telephone networks. However, methods for implementation and evaluation of the pilot were unclear and NCS subsequently terminated the pilot. NCS is also working to provide priority voice and data NS/EP communications as part of the evolving telecommunications networks, but it has not finalized an acquisition approach based on available technologies, costs, or plans to mitigate technological and other challenges to deliver such capabilities. The lack of this information has led to congressional restrictions on NCS's funding. As NCS attempts to ensure that GETS and WPS services can operate in these evolving networks, an acquisition approach that includes this information will provide NCS officials and Congress with essential information to most effectively allocate resources and guide decision making. Although DHS agreed with GAO's June 2008 recommendation to complete the NCS strategic plan, NCS has not finalized its strategic plan which has been under development since 2007. Furthermore, existing performance measures do not cover all of its core responsibilities, as suggested by best practices, and certain performance measures could be strengthened. For example, NCS does not have a measure to gauge its performance in two of its key federal roles--critical infrastructure protection for communications under DHS's National Infrastructure Protection Plan as well as coordinating communications issues under the National Response Framework. Furthermore, NCS does not use prior years' enrollment levels to help determine increases, if any, to be made to future year's goals for user enrollment. Fully and accurately measuring performance is critical to ensuring the agency and key stakeholders--such as Congress--base program and resource decisions on actual performance.