I. Issue: To recast the information technology (IT) of the FBI to meet its expanded mission priorities post 9/11 and to meet the continuing and emerging operational requirements for the future.
II. Background: Since 9/11, the FBI has initiated multiple IT-management reforms. The most significant was the establishment of the Information and Technology Branch (ITB) formerly the Office of the Chief Information Officer. The ITB is dedicated to the FBI’s corporate IT management, and is committed to information sharing internally and externally with federal, local, state, and tribal Law Enforcement (LE), Intelligence Community (IC), private sector, and international partners. The ITB has implemented an enterprise architecture (EA); established IT Governance Boards, Portfolio Management, and a Strategic Plan. Listed below are a few examples of the successes in IT transformation over the last seven years.
A. Establishing the Information and Technology Branch (ITB): The ITB is comprised of four offices and one division that represent the IT lifecycle and management of knowledge assets. The Office of IT Program Management has standardized project management; the Office of IT Systems Development researches new technology and develops prototypes; the Office of IT Policy and Planning strategically plans and assesses IT investments, projects, and assets; the IT Operations Division is responsible for Operation and Maintenance (O&M), and retirement of obsolete IT systems; and the Office of the Chief Knowledge Officer promotes and facilitates the creation, sharing, and application of FBI knowledge.
B. Adopting standardized processes/best practices: Instituting Life Cycle Management (LCM); continuous improvement via the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI); and federal frameworks for optimizing EA and Investment Management integration have dramatically changed IT’s responsiveness to the organization over the past five years, and has resulted in the FBI being assessed at Stage 3 of Enterprise Architecture Management Maturity Framework (EAMMF) by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Implementation of the Clinger-Cohen Act Best Practices provides enhanced accountability in aligning IT processes and resources to achieve the FBI mission.
C. Enhancing connectivity: Satellite capabilities, mobile devices, Secure Voice, and Video Teleconferencing, allow the FBI to access and share information rapidly and globally. More than 20,000 BlackBerry Smartphones have been deployed that provide secure access to unclassified information. The FBI has established connectivity with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the IC through the SECRET Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET) and the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS). This allows exchange of SECRET and TOP SECRET level emails and file transfers.
D. Modernizing, Developing, and Enhancing IT : Advances have been realized in modernizing hardware and software applications, as well as repurposing outdated hardware to extend usefulness. Improvements have been made in IT resource utilization through better capital planning, management, and investment control via essential IT governance and portfolio management. Agile development and rapid delivery of IT solutions have resulted from a streamlined LCM.
E. Eliminating “stove-pipes” and improving collaboration: FBI information resides in over 225 internal databases and systems. SENTINEL, the FBI’s next generation information management system, will improve how the FBI manages information and workflow. In the past seven years, there has been a dramatic evolution of FBI information sharing. Today, sharing is the rule rather than the exception. With the continuing successful deployment of SENTINEL, this policy will be institutionalized in systems built from the ground up to support and facilitate sharing.
F. People: Efforts to hire the most qualified IT professionals and to enhance workforce skills are ongoing. The ITB has initiated an IT Certification Program covering a variety of topics including Project Management, networking, Oracle databases, Windows Systems and Exchange, CISCO Systems, and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA).
G. Oversight: The FBI’s IT programs have been the subject of intense internal and external oversight. Over the past five years, the GAO and the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) have issued 51 reports consisting of 285 recommendations. As July 31, 2008, the FBI has closed 54 percent of the recommendations and continues to address the remaining ones. In addition, there were nine GAO/OIG audits underway as of July 31, 2008.
III. Legal Authorities: Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996; the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; the E-Government Act of 2002; the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002; the Federal Records Act 1950; the Freedom of Information Act; and the Privacy Act of 1974.
IV. Budget: The resources required to support this initiative are consistent with the FBI’s FY 2010-2014 budget plan. The detailed requirements are included in the Infrastructure end-state capability portion of the FY 2010-2014 Spring Planning Estimates as submitted to DOJ.
V. Recommendations/Actions: The ITB continues to pursue enhanced budget appropriations through the budget cycle and to leverage partnerships with LE and IC partners.
Information provided by: Information and Technology Branch
InformationApproved by: EAD Zalmai Azmi
Dated: 08/06/2008
