Immigration and Customs Enforcement is seeking a replacement for its mainframe-based TECS case management tool for criminal investigations, which was developed in-house and is becoming increasingly expensive to maintain.
According to a recent request for information posted to the FedBizOpps website, ICE agencies are seeking a new system that provides the same core investigative case management functions along with some new capabilities. ICE, and Customs and Border Protection, which also uses TECS, have been pursuing modernization approaches in parallel but without much success. GAO recently faulted management of their modernization efforts (see, GAO-14-342T).
The timeframe for initial operational capability must occur before September of 2015, and there must be a code freeze date at which point all code development, if required, will be completed and the prospective offeror’s system will begin integration and integration testing with other required systems and interfaces. That date is proposed as January 2015, according to the RFI.
Thomas Michelli, ICE’s CIO, told the House Homeland Security Committee recently that a new solution could reduce custom development and support and ultimately save about 15 percent on the life cycle cost estimate ($818 million) for ICE TECS modernization. ICE has spent about $64 million to date, but Michelli says about $20 million of that went to putting in place a foundation (he mentioned database construction and development of interfaces with outside systems) for new system.
RFI: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=af6fc5aade1c5f308652eb31796494ac&tab=core&_cview=1
