Intell fusion centers need to set performance goals, GAO says

By Alice Lipowicz

Connecting state and local government leaders

| September 30, 2010

The intelligence fusion centers created for sharing intelligence information need to be evaluated on their performance, the GAO says.

Performance benchmarks are needed to help justify federal support for the centers, which amounts to 61 percent of their funding, GAO said. For 52 centers that responded to a GAO survey, their total annual costs were $102 million, of which $62 million was federal funding, the report noted.

The first systemwide capabilities assessment is due next month for 72 intelligence fusion centers that use sophisticated IT systems, but there's no formal structure to evaluate their performance on an ongoing basis, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

The Homeland Security and Justice departments, along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, are assessing the baseline capabilities of the centers and looking for gaps. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, intelligence fusion centers have been created by state governments with federal support to collect, share and analyze domestic intelligence information.

However, DHS hasn't developed standard performance measures to determine the centers’ effectiveness and value on an ongoing basis, according to the GAO report.