2012 Fusion Center Assessment

In July 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in coordination with its interagency partners, launched the 2012 Fusion Center Assessment (2012 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 77 fusion centers that constituted the National Network of Fusion Centers (National Network) as of August 2012 completed the 2012 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.
• Capability data collected through the 2012 Assessment provided a basis to inform state and local leaders on ways to strengthen fusion center capabilities, mitigate capability gaps, and justify investment requests, including Investment Justifications associated with the Homeland Security Grant Program.
• The 2012 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.

Ultimately, the 2012 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.

In coordination with its interagency partners, DHS used 2012 Assessment data to develop the 2012 National Network of Fusion Centers Final Report (2012 Final Report). 

The 2012 Final Report describes the overall capabilities of the National Network and includes:

1. A detailed analysis of the collective capability of fusion centers.
2. An analysis of National Network maturity.
3. Data collection on an initial set of five performance measures.
4. Recommendations for federal government and fusion center action to support the National Network in further building its capabilities and advancing its performance.

 DHS will continue to refine and enhance the annual fusion center assessment process to reflect the evolving needs of DHS, its federal, state, and local partners, and the National Network.  Additional performance measures will be incorporated into the 2013 Fusion Center Assessment. 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.