	Compliance with Legislative Conditions

The expenditure plan, including related documentation and program  officials’ statements, satisfied four legislative conditions, partially satisfied  four legislative conditions, and did not satisfy one legislative condition. In addition, the plan did not include activities, milestones,  or costs for the northern border. However, one acquisition  requirement not followed was that the SBInet systems integration contract  did not contain a specific number of units that may be ordered or a  maximum dollar value. SBInet’s acquisition approach calls for considerable concurrency among  related planned tasks and activities. Legislative condition 9: Include a review by GAO (satisfied). DHS’s approach to SBInet introduces additional risk because the  program’s schedule entails a high level of concurrency. OMB approved the plan on December 4, 2006. Satisfying the  legislative conditions is important because the expenditure plan is intended to  provide Congress with the information needed to effectively oversee the program  and hold DHS accountable for program results. Satisfying the legislative conditions  is also important to minimize the program’s exposure to cost, schedule, and  performance risks. The current expenditure plan offers a high-level and partial outline of a large and  complex program that forms an integral component of a broader multi-year  initiative. Recommendations

	To ensure that Congress has the information necessary to effectively oversee SBInet and hold DHS accountable for program results, and to help DHS manage the SBInet program and ensure that future SBInet expenditure plans meet the legislative requirements, we recommend that the Secretary of Homeland Security direct the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Secure Border Initiative Program Management Office Executive Director to take the following three actions:

ensure that future expenditure plans include explicit and  measurable commitments relative to the capabilities, schedule,  costs, and benefits associated with individual SBInet program  activities;  re-examine the level of concurrency and appropriately adjust the  acquisition strategy; and   modify the SBInet systems integration contract to include a  maximum quantity or dollar value.
Why GAO Did This Study

In November 2005, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the Secure Border Initiative (SBI) program to secure U.S. borders and reduce illegal immigration. One element of SBI is SBInet, the program responsible for developing a comprehensive border protection system. By legislative mandate, DHS developed a fiscal year 2007 expenditure plan for SBInet to address nine legislative conditions, including a review by GAO. DHS submitted the plan to the Appropriations Committees on December 4, 2006. To address the mandate, GAO assessed the plan against federal guidelines and industry standards and interviewed appropriate DHS officials.

What GAO Found

The SBInet expenditure plan, including related documentation and program officials' statements, satisfied four legislative conditions, partially satisfied four legislative conditions, and did not satisfy one legislative condition. Satisfying the legislative conditions is important because the expenditure plan is intended to provide Congress with the information needed to effectively oversee the program and hold DHS accountable for program results. Satisfying the legislative conditions is also important to minimize the program's exposure to cost, schedule, and performance risks. SBInet's December 2006 expenditure plan offered a high-level and partial outline of a large and complex program that forms an integral component of a broader multiyear initiative. However, the plan and related documentation did not include explicit and measurable commitments relative to capabilities, schedule, costs, and benefits associated with individual SBInet program activities. In addition, the SBInet systems integration contract did not contain a specific number of units that may be ordered or a maximum dollar value as required by Federal Acquisition Regulation. Further, DHS's approach to SBInet introduces additional risk because the program's schedule entails a high level of concurrency among related planned tasks and activities.