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Homeland Security: Preliminary Observations on the Federal Protective Service's Workforce Analysis and Planning Efforts

GAO-10-802R Published: Jun 14, 2010. Publicly Released: Jun 14, 2010.
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Highlights

We have identified several workforce related challenges faced by the Federal Protective Service (FPS) since its transfer to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003, including low morale among staff, increased attrition, and the loss of institutional knowledge. Our prior work has found that FPS continues to face challenges in identifying the optimal number of staff needed to adequately conduct its mission. In response to Congress's mandate in the House Report, which accompanied the DHS fiscal year 2009 Appropriations Act requiring GAO to evaluate the adequacy of FPS's workforce size, this report includes preliminary observations on the following questions: (1) What is the current status of FPS's efforts to determine its workforce requirements? (2) To what extent do FPS's efforts align with commonly used workforce analysis and planning practices? (3) What, if any, challenges may impede implementation of FPS's efforts?

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Agency missionsAttrition ratesBest practicesEmployeesEvaluation methodsHiring policiesInformation managementInstitutional knowledgeProgram evaluationReporting requirementsStaff utilizationStandardsStrategic planningWork measurementWorking conditions