My clock radio goes off at 6 AM and I’m out of bed and excited for a new day. By 6:45 AM, I’m out the door on my way to the office. The commute is a time for me to gather my thoughts, read the morning paper, and prepare for the tasks I have to address first.
In the past, advancements in information technology (IT) typically were a topic of discussion among high-level developers, project managers, and analysts. Analysts documented large complex requirements documents that sometimes took years to produce. It was difficult for systems development projects to adjust these documents to evolving needs and new priorities. This process is changing the Government’s broad adoption of Agile to deliver mission-critical software quickly to users.
Mission results on major programs directly result from effective acquisitions. So how does the Government continue to innovate to drive acquisition success?
Acquisitions are the key to success in major programs of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The procurement process deploys the materials, services, and knowledge necessary to operate the DHS’ protective and preventative missions. Without timely and effective procurements, DHS could face new and avoidable challenges in their mission to prevent terrorism, manage our borders, enforce immigration laws, secure cyberspace, and act with resilience in the face of disasters.
Mission users. More and more, we hear that the mission users are not getting what they need when new technology is designed and implemented. The Federal Government needs new approaches to create cross-enterprise, people-centric solutions.
During administration changes, agencies face the challenge of onboarding new personnel while maintaining core functions to serve the mission. Fortunately, transition cycles are usually predictable, and preparation can begin well in advance. By adopting past best practices and the latest innovative thinking, Government agencies can become more operationally resilient in the face of both scheduled transitions and unexpected leadership changes.
In June 2015, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that hackers compromised millions of Americans personally identifiable information in one of the most severe data breaches in recent history. The successful intrusion into OPM servers, perpetrated by the Chinese, highlighted major issues in the Government’s information technology (IT) infrastructure, including continued use of legacy systems and lack of oversight of private contractors. As a result, the Government convened an interagency panel to perform a 90-day review of OPM’s background investigation infrastructure.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), floods are the most common and costly natural disaster in the nation. Floods are a year-round disaster and affect every state and territory in the United States.
Human trafficking is often difficult to identify due to the skilled practices of human traffickers and the challenge of defining a victim.Victims are often hidden, threatened with abuse, torture, and death. As a result, victims are unlikely to run away or speak for fear of reprisal from their captors. In this modern system of slavery, victims do not have a voice, so citizens and trained professionals must know what to do when encountering a potential victim.
“It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot – it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.” – John Ruskin, 1819-1900
Hiring talent is one of the most crucial components to any organization’s success – in the Government or in consulting companies that support the Government. Often, the hiring process can be arduous and time consuming. However, new hires are critical to mission success, as they shape the culture, practices, ideas, and, ultimately, the future of the organization.
The recent terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, CA and Paris, France have enhanced the focus of immigration policy in the U.S. At the same time, the presidential election has put immigration front and center for the American people to consider as they plan to cast their votes in November 2016.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for providing a common baseline of cybersecurity across the civilian Government. It assists agencies with managing their cyber risk.
