The Information and Technology Branch (ITB) is composed of three divisions (approximately 1,800 government and contract employees) that together represent the information technology (IT) life cycle and management of knowledge assets.

Additionally, the ITB has created an Office of the Associate Chief Information Officer for Innovation and Strategy which enhances FBI mission results with the collaboration of the Intelligence Community and the Department of Justice to drive strategic solutions and promote responsible information sharing for the FBI and its partners. For more information on how ITB is structured,view its organization chart.

IT Customer Relationship and Management Division

The IT Customer Relationship and Management Division (ITCRMD) provides leadership and management of IT programs and projects through capital planning, contracts and acquisitions, governance, and transitions for the effective delivery of IT products and services that meet mission needs through assessments, policy, standardization, and performance metrics. It also serves the administrative, logistical, financial, human capital, and communications needs of the branch.

IT Applications and Data Division

The IT Applications and Data Division (ITADD) provides state-of-the-art IT engineering leadership in order to enable FBI information technology to increase mission success and enhance mission capabilities in the critical areas of national security, law enforcement, intelligence, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism; ITADD solutions ensure accurate and reliable IT capabilities that permit efficient retrieval, sharing, use, and analysis of information.

Infrastructure Division

The IT Infrastructure Division (ITID) meets and/or exceeds the customer’s value proposition for computer and telecommunications services in terms of quality, timeliness, and responsiveness through cost-effective, schedule-compliant, reliable, and secure leveraging of IT technologies for the FBI.

History

The Information and Technology Branch (ITB) is modernizing the FBI’s aging information technology (IT) infrastructure. Every employee, detailee, Task Force member, and contractor within the FBI relies heavily on IT to successfully execute its mission. The ITB operates and maintains a multitude of computerized systems, networks, databases and applications.

By the late 1990s, the FBI recognized the need to modernize its computer systems and networks and proposed a major technology upgrade plan that would take place in three phases. The Information Technology Upgrade Plan was the FBI’s largest information technology modernization plan to date. The plan was to upgrade networks, hardware and software platforms, and user applications.

At that time, FBI employees were using computer systems that were based on 1980s technology. These systems could not run basic web-based software packages. Interoffice communication at some resident agencies was hampered by slow dial-up connections using only 56K modems. And, many of the FBI’s databases and computer systems were operated through stand-alone terminals and did not integrate with other systems in other programs throughout the FBI.

The events of September 11, 2001, highlighted the FBI’s need for a robust IT infrastructure that could integrate and manage the FBI’s information across several computer systems to support its mission. Director Robert S. Mueller, III listed the priority “to upgrade technology to successfully perform the FBI’s mission” among his top 10 for transforming the FBI.

The Director’s congressional testimony in June 2002 highlighted his view of the necessity for the FBI to modernize its IT infrastructure. “Technology is intertwined with the bureaucracy. We have a paper bureaucracy that has built up over 90 years. There are ways of doing things that are torturous—burdensome, if not torturous—let me just put it that way. And the technology is going to make a large difference in how we change as an organization.

“I believe that our move to change the technology in the next two or three years will have a dramatic impact on the way we do business ... giving the agents the tools they need to be interactive ... and free up the bureau in a substantial number of ways.”

Timeline of the Office of the Chief Information Officer/Information and Technology Branch

More: Timeline of the Office of the Chief Information Officer/Information and Technology Branch 

Key dates in the evolution of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Information and Technology Branch.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the mission of the Information and Technology Branch (ITB)?

The mission of the ITB is to:

Deliver reliable and effective technology solutions needed to fulfill the FBI’s mission anytime, anywhere, on-time, and on-budget;
Lead the strategic direction for the FBI’s information technology (IT) through the IT Strategic Plan, IT Portfolio Management, and IT Governance process.

What is the role of the Chief Information Officer? 

The Chief Information Officer is responsible for the FBI’s overall information technology efforts, including developing the FBI’s IT strategic plan and operating budget, developing and maintaining the FBI’s technology assets, and providing technical direction for the reengineering of FBI business processes.

What is the role of the Chief Technology Officer?

The mission of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is to create enterprise-level information technology capabilities in the FBI. The CTO manages programs from concept in the research and development section, to prototype in the prototype section, to program deployment in the data engineering and systems development.

How does the FBI’s Information and Technology Branch manage its information?

The FBI’s Chief Information Officer has the responsibility to ensure that the Bureau’s information resources are managed in an efficient and effective secure environment that complies with all Federal laws, rules, regulations and guidance.

What is the importance of Enterprise Architecture within the FBI? 

Enterprise Architecture (EA) serves as a blueprint for FBI technology systems, including hardware, software, networks and other technology capabilities. The EA provides the FBI with a comprehensive approach to management and development of the FBI’s information technology environment. The FBI EA Program is based on the approach defined in the CIO’s Federal Council publication, A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture, which was developed under the leadership of the Government Accountability Office and the Office of Management and Budget.

What is the Clinger-Cohen Act and how does it impact the FBI’s Information Technology?

The Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, also known as the Information Technology Management Reform Act, requires all federal agencies to adopt an investment management and capital planning process to select, control and evaluate information technology investments. In accordance with the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, the CIO is responsible for leading reforms to help control system development risks, better manage technology spending, and achieve real, measurable improvements in FBI performance through better management of information resources. The Clinger-Cohen Act is a U.S. federal law that was co-authored by U.S. Representatives William Clinger and Senator William Cohen in 1996. It is designed to improve the way the federal government acquires and manages information technology.

What laws and regulations impact the FBI’s Information and Technology Branch?

There are a variety of legislative acts that govern specific responsibilities of the Information and Technology Branch and how the Chief Information Officer operates, including:

• The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
• The E-Government Act of 2002
• The Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002
• The Federal Records Act of 1950The Freedom of Information Act
• The Privacy Act of 1974
• The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993

 Other legislation that governs the FBI’s information technology includes:

• The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993
• The Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act of 1982
• The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990
• The Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996
• The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, Title V
• The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002

Has the FBI made any significant progress in improving its information technology since the events of 9/11?

Yes. In the preceding years, the FBI has made substantial improvements to upgrading its information technologies that directly support investigations and remains committed to continuing to deliver enhanced technology capabilities wherever possible.

Does the FBI keep a database of fingerprints? 

Yes. Since 1924 the FBI has served as the national fingerprint repository. For the first 75 years, the processing of incoming fingerprint cards was largely a manual, labor intensive process taking weeks or sometimes months to process a single fingerprint card. The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (IAFIS), a national fingerprint and criminal history system implemented in 1999, provides the FBI with a totally electronic environment to process fingerprint submissions 24 hours, 365 days a year. The IAFIS provides automated fingerprint search capabilities, latent searching capability, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses. As a result of submitting fingerprints electronically, agencies receive electronic responses to criminal ten-print fingerprint submissions within 2 hours and within 24 hours for civil fingerprint submissions.

How can I work for the FBI as an information technology specialist? 

The FBI is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified men and women of all backgrounds are always needed. For further information visit the FBI jobs website and apply online.

What kinds of IT-related positions are available at the FBI?

The FBI hires Information Technology professionals from the following fields: Applications Software, Database Management, Knowledge Management, Network Engineering, Operating System Management, Policy and Planning, Program/Project Management, Software Engineering, Systems Administration, and Systems Analysis. For more information, view our current job postings.

What educational backgrounds are required? 

The educational backgrounds of professionals at the FBI reflect various degrees in IT-related studies and/or certificates in studies related to specific IT careers. Educational preferences for higher-level positions are undergraduate or graduate degrees in Computer Science, Business Management, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Knowledge Management, Information Technology or related fields from an accredited college or university, and Program Management and contracting certifications. Specialized experience is also taken into consideration.

I’m an IT vendor—how do I schedule an appointment? 

If you are an IT vendor and would like to set up an appointment with us for a product demonstration, briefing, and/or discussion about technology concepts, please contact us.