2013 Fusion Center Assessment

In July 2013, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in coordination with its interagency partners, launched the 2013 Fusion Center Assessment (2013 Assessment).  The repeatable annual assessment process is a critical element of a broader Fusion Center Performance Program (FCPP), which provides an objective basis to demonstrate the value of fusion centers in supporting national information sharing and homeland security outcomes.  The FCPP represents the Department's on-going commitment to design and implement performance management processes that demonstrate measurable progress in enhancing domestic counterterrorism and information sharing capabilities.

• All 78 fusion centers that constituted the National Network of Fusion Centers (National Network) as of August 2013 completed the 2013 Assessment.
• The assessment process allows DHS to collect data to measure how fusion centers individually have progressed in achieving key capabilities and collective fusion center progress as a National Network towards network maturity.
• Data collected through the 2013 Assessment provided a basis to inform state and local leaders on ways to strengthen fusion center capabilities and performance, mitigate gaps, and justify investment requests, including Investment Justifications associated with the Homeland Security Grant Program.
• The 2013 Assessment also provided data that allows the federal government to better target support to help fusion centers mitigate capability gaps and maintain those capabilities already in place.

The 2013 Assessment also collected data to measure the National Network’s performance, including the five performance measures that were first collected through the 2012 Assessment.  Additional information on the FCPP and the performance measures can be found in the Performance Measures Definitions Guide.

In coordination with its interagency partners, DHS used 2013 Assessment data to develop the 2013 National Network of Fusion Centers Final Report (2013 Final Report).

The 2013 Final Report describes the overall capabilities of the National Network and includes:

1. An analysis of National Network maturity.
2. A set of findings based on a detailed analysis of the collective capability and performance of fusion centers.
3. Recommendations for federal government and fusion center action to support the National Network in further building its capabilities and advancing its performance.

Ultimately, the 2013 Assessment allows federal, state, and local fusion center stakeholders to demonstrate the capabilities of the National Network and encourage continued coordination among interagency partners to enhance fusion center capabilities.  DHS will continue to refine and enhance the annual fusion center assessment process to reflect the evolving needs of DHS, its federal, state, local, tribal, territorial and private sector partners.