Office of Strategy, Planning, Analysis and Risk (SPAR)

The Office of Strategy, Planning, Analysis and Risk (SPAR) provides the Department with an integrated and DHS-wide capability for strategy development, strategic planning, long-term assessment, and decision analysis, including statistical and economic analysis and risk assessment and modeling.

Mission

• Develop analytically driven, high-impact products that improve DHS and homeland security enterprise strategic direction, integration, and decision-making.
• Design and refine DHS processes necessary for the strategic management of the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) missions and for DHS strategy, planning, and analysis to have the intended, beneficial impact on homeland security activities.

Core Purposes

Each of SPAR’s functions, processes, and methodologies exist to advance one or more of SPAR’s core purposes:

1. Articulate Long-term Vision. Articulate the long-term vision of the Department and the homeland security enterprise, and help define strategic priorities based on sound analysis, in order to manage homeland security risk.
2. Drive Integration. Design and refine DHS modeling, analysis, and strategic planning processes necessary to enhance mission execution by advancing cross-departmental and cross-enterprise, analytically-based, risk-informed priorities and helping portfolios of programs work more efficiently and effectively.
3. Ensure Informed Decision-Making by Homeland Security Leadership. Ensure that risk-informed policy and strategy drive Departmental and enterprise decisions, including with regard to planning, programming, budgeting, and major acquisition oversight. 

Learn More

Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2012-2016