Total IT spending in the 2006 DHS budget increases $1.2
billion to about $6 billion, according to the department’s
2006 budget plan That includes plans to consolidate a
number of systems within the department.
The budget increases resources for screening programs by
68 percent under a new office of screening coordination,
consolidating the terrorist screening functions of several
agencies.
Located within the border and transportation security
directorate, the screening office would consolidate IT
intensive efforts such as US-VISIT, Secure Flight and
Crew Vetting, Free and Secure Trade, NEXUS-Secure
Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection, the
Transportation Worker Identification Credential, and
Alien Flight School Checks, among others.
Funding for the office of the chief information officer
would increase to $304 million, to support smart cards,
geospatial programs, an IT engineering center, IT
security, and communications.
Other IT funding includes $30 million to continue
implementing e-Merge, a system designed to deliver
resource management information to decision makers,
that the department says focuses on accounting and
reporting, acquisition and grants management, cost
and revenue performance management, asset management
and budget.
DHS plans to integrate that system with the new personnel
system for which $53 million was proposed for design and
deployment. That will replace approximately 140 legacy
systems, according to the budget.
The proposal also puts about $16.5 million toward the
“information sharing and collaboration” program, which
according to the department, “will affect the policy,
procedures, technical, process, cultural, and
organizational aspects of information sharing and
collaboration,” with other agencies, contributing to
a “shared services environment.”
