	DHS Could Take Actions to Reduce Overlap and Potential Unnecessary Duplication and Achieve Cost Savings

		Overlap and Potential Unnecessary Duplication at DHS

Our March 2011 and February 2012 reports identified 6 areas across  DHS where overlap or potential unnecessary duplication exists, and 17  specific actions that the department or Congress could take to address  these areas. Of these 11 actions, 1 has been  fully addressed, 4 have been partially addressed, and the remaining 6  have not been addressed. In our March  2011 report, we suggested that DHS or Congress take 11 actions to  either reduce the cost of government operations or enhance revenue  collection. Tables 3 and 4  summarize the cost-savings and revenue enhancing areas that we  reported on in March 2011 and February 2012. DHS Can Improve the Efficiency and Effectiveness of its Operations by Continuing to Address Themes That Have Impacted its Progress

Our work at DHS has identified three key themes—leading and  coordinating the homeland security enterprise, implementing and  integrating management functions for results, and strategically managing  risks and assessing homeland security efforts—that have impacted the  department’s progress since it began operations. While  DHS is one of a number of entities with a role in securing the homeland, it  has significant leadership and coordination responsibilities for managing  efforts across the homeland security enterprise. DHS has made important strides in providing leadership and coordinating  efforts. However, DHS needs to take additional action to forge effective  partnerships and strengthen the sharing and utilization of information,  which has affected its ability to effectively satisfy its missions. For  example, in July 2010, we reported that the expectations of private-sector  stakeholders have not been met by DHS and its federal partners in areas  related to sharing information about cyber-based threats to critical  infrastructure. acquisition and information technology management policies and  controls, to provide enhanced guidance on investment decision making. DHS needs to continue to demonstrate sustainable progress in  addressing its challenges, as these issues have contributed to schedule  delays, cost increases, and performance problems in major programs  aimed at delivering important mission capabilities. After initiating a departmentwide  assessment of the program, the Secretary of Homeland Security froze  program funding and, at the completion of the assessment in January  2011, the Secretary decided to end the Secure Border Initiative Network  as originally conceived after investing nearly $1 billion in the program. Moving forward,  addressing these management challenges will be critical for DHS’s  success, as will be the integration of these functions across the  department to achieve efficiencies and effectiveness. Doing so  should better equip DHS to adapt and respond to new threats in a  sustainable manner as it works to address existing ones. Further, while DHS  has made progress, additional actions are needed to strengthen  partnerships with stakeholders, improve its management processes and  share information, and enhance its risk management and performance- measurement efforts to enhance effectiveness and achieve efficiencies  throughout the department. Key contributors for the previous work that this testimony is  based on are listed within each individual product.
Why GAO Did This Study

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, led to profound changes in government agendas, policies, and structures to confront homeland security threats facing the nation. Most notably, DHS began operations in 2003 with missions that included preventing terrorist attacks in the United States, reducing the nations vulnerability to terrorism, and minimizing damages from attacks. DHS is now the third-largest federal department, with more than 200,000 employees, and has an annual budget of almost $60 billion. Since 2003, GAO has issued over 1,200 products on DHSs operations in such areas as transportation security and emergency management, among others. Moreover, GAO has reported that overlap and fragmentation among government programs, including DHS, can cause potential unnecessary duplication, and reducing it could save billions of tax dollars annually and help agencies provide more efficient and effective services. As requested, this testimony addresses (1) opportunities for DHS to reduce potential unnecessary duplication in its programs, save tax dollars, and enhance revenue, and (2) crosscutting and management issues that have affected DHSs implementation efforts. This testimony is based on GAO reports issued from March 2011 through February 2012.

What GAO Found

In March 2011 and February 2012, GAO reported on 6 areas where the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Congress could take action to reduce overlap and potential unnecessary duplication, and 9 areas to achieve cost-savings. Of the 22 actions GAO suggested be taken in March 2011 to address such issues, 2 were fully implemented, 14 were partially implemented, and 6 have not been addressed. GAOs February 2012 report identified 18 additional actions to address overlap, potential duplication, and costs savings.
In September 2011, GAO reported on three key themes that should be addressed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of DHSs operations.
Leading and coordinating the homeland security enterprise. DHS has made important strides in providing leadership and coordinating efforts among its stakeholders. However, DHS needs to take additional action to forge effective partnerships and strengthen the sharing and utilization of information, which has affected its ability to effectively satisfy its missions, such as sharing information with private sector stakeholders on cyber-based threats to critical infrastructure.
Implementing and integrating management functions for results. DHS has enhanced its management functions, and has plans to further strengthen the management of the department. However, DHS has not always effectively executed or integrated these functions, which has contributed to schedule delays, cost increases, and performance issues in a number of programs aimed at delivering important mission capabilities, such as border security technologies.
Strategically managing risks and assessing homeland security efforts. While progress has been made, limited strategic and program planning and limited assessment to inform approaches and investment decisions have contributed to DHS programs not meeting strategic needs in an efficient manner, such as the lack of risk based plans for deploying aviation security technologies.

What GAO Recommends

While this testimony contains no new recommendations, GAO previously made about 1,600 recommendations to DHS. The department has addressed about half of them, has efforts to address others, and has taken action to strengthen its operations.