The Government Accountability Office has called on the Department of Homeland Security to improve its portfolio management efforts through post-implementation assessments of major acquisition programs upon the deployment of initial capabilities.GAO made the recommendation after it found that DHS does not leverage data collected from reviews once those programs conclude the implementation phase, according to a report published Thursday.
The congressional watchdog recommended that DHS update its procurement policy to mandate the certification of fund memorandums when acquisition projects rebaseline in response to violation of schedule, cost and performance objectives.
GAO reviewed 24 major procurement programs of DHS in 2017 and found that 10 of those programs were on target to meet cost and schedule goals. Six of the assessed programs were facing cost increases and schedule delays.
The report also showed that DHS met key practices for portfolio management and those include the establishment of standard review criteria, prioritization of investments and leadership empowerment.
