	Background

According to DHS, the limitations in its human resources environment,  which includes fragmented systems and duplicative and paper-based  processes, were compromising the department’s ability to effectively and  efficiently carry out its mission. To address these issues, in 2003, DHS initiated the HRIT investment,  which is intended to consolidate, integrate, and modernize the  department’s and its components’ human resources IT infrastructure. This was due to, among other  things, limited coordination with and commitment from DHS’s  components. Performance management. DHS Has Made Very Little Progress in Implementing HRIT; Investment Lacked Effective Management

DHS has made very limited progress in addressing the 15 strategic  improvement opportunities and the 77 associated projects included in  HRIT. However, as of November 2015, DHS had fully  implemented only 1 of the strategic improvement opportunities, which  included 2 associated projects. As a result of the executive steering committee not meeting,  key governance activities were not completed on HRIT. As a result of the limited progress in implementing HRIT, DHS is unaware  of when critical weaknesses in the department’s human capital  environment will be addressed, which is, among other things, impacting  DHS’s ability to carry out its mission. We recommended in our report that DHS’s Under Secretary for  Management update the HRIT executive steering committee charter to  establish the frequency with which the committee meetings are to be  held, and ensure that the committee is consistently involved in overseeing  and advising HRIT. Accordingly, we recommended that DHS develop a complete life-cycle  cost estimate for the implementation of the HRIT investment. HRIT’s 2011 Blueprint May Not Be Valid and Reflective of DHS’s Current Priorities and Goals

According to the HRIT executive steering committee’s charter, the Under  Secretary for Management (as the chair of the committee) is to ensure  that the department’s human resources IT business needs are met, as  outlined in the blueprint. Officials stated that the department is still committed to implementing the  blueprint, but agreed that it should be re-evaluated. However, according to PALMS program management office officials, they  did not develop a life-cycle cost estimate for PALMS. HRIT’s minimally involved  executive steering committee during a time when significant problems  were occurring was a key factor in the lack of progress.
Why GAO Did This Study

DHS's human resources information technology environment includes fragmented systems, duplicative and paper-based processes, and little uniformity of data management practices, which according to DHS, are compromising the department's ability to effectively carry out its mission. DHS initiated HRIT in 2003 to consolidate, integrate, and modernize DHS's human resources information technology infrastructure. In 2011, DHS redefined HRIT's scope and implementation time frames.
This statement summarizes GAO's report that is being released at today's hearing (GAO-16-253) on, among other objectives, the progress DHS has made in implementing the HRIT investment and how effectively it managed the investment.

What GAO Found

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made very little progress in implementing its Human Resources Information Technology (HRIT) investment over the last several years. This investment includes 15 improvement areas; as of November 2015, DHS had fully implemented only 1.
HRIT's limited progress was due in part to the lack of involvement of its executive steering committee—the investment's core oversight and advisory body. Specifically, this committee was minimally involved with HRIT, such as meeting only once during a nearly 2-year period when major problems were occurring, including schedule delays and the lack of a life-cycle cost estimate. As a result, key governance activities, such as approval of HRIT's operational plan, were not completed. Officials acknowledge that HRIT should be re-evaluated. They have met to discuss it; however, specific actions and time frames have not yet been determined. Until DHS takes key actions to manage this neglected investment, it is unknown when its human capital management weaknesses will be addressed.

What GAO Recommends

In its report that is being released today, GAO made 14 recommendations to DHS to, among other things, address HRIT's poor progress and ineffective management. For example, GAO recommended that the HRIT executive steering committee be consistently involved in overseeing and advising the investment, and that DHS establish time frames for re-evaluating HRIT and develop a complete life-cycle cost estimate for the investment. DHS concurred with the 14 recommendations and provided estimated completion dates for implementing each of them.