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- Addressed

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- Partially Addressed

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- Not Addressed

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- Consolidated or Other

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- Pending

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- Closed-Partially Addressed

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- Closed-Not Addressed

Year Identified: 2019

Area Number: 10

Area Type: Fragmentation, Overlap & Duplication

Action:

The Secretary of Homeland Security should finalize a delegation of authority or similar document that clearly defines the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans’ (PLCY) mission, roles, and responsibilities relative to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) operational and support components.

Progress:

DHS agreed with GAO’s September 2018 recommendation. In December 2019, the Acting Secretary of DHS signed a delegation of authority to the Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans that satisfies this recommendation.

Action:

The Secretary of Homeland Security should create processes and procedures corresponding to the mission, roles, and responsibilities defined in the delegation of authority or similar document to help ensure predictability, repeatability, and accountability in department-wide and crosscutting strategy and policy efforts.

Progress:

No executive action taken. The Department of Homeland Security agreed with GAO’s recommendation, and finalized a delegation of authority, which is a requisite step in being able to complete this action, in December 2019. As of February 2020, however, the agency had not taken action that addresses GAO’s September 2018 recommendation to create processes and procedures corresponding to the mission, roles, and responsibilities defined in the delegation of authority.

To fully address this action, the agency needs to create such processes and procedures to help ensure predictability, repeatability, and accountability in department-wide and crosscutting strategy and policy efforts. Until DHS creates these processes and procedures, the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans' ability to lead and coordinate policy will continue to be limited. Taking this recommended action would enhance the department’s efficiency and reduce risks associated with fragmentation in the development of department-wide and crosscutting strategies, policies, and plans.