GAO IDENTIFIES $2.9-BILLION NEED FOR HOMELAND SECURITY TECHNOLOGY

GAO IDENTIFIES $2.9-BILLION NEED FOR HOMELAND SECURITY TECHNOLOGY    A study released by the U.S. Government Accounting Office found that it will cost the nation $2.9 billion in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 to cover homeland security technology needs.
   For fiscal 2003 alone, the watchdog agency estimated that $1.7 billion would be needed to move the designated organizations to the new Homeland Security Department.
   The GAO admitted the total reported information technology funding for homeland security “is likely understated.” The agency cited other potential costs such as multi-agency technology infrastructure, new intelligence systems, and funding for existing agency operations “that appear to be related to homeland security,” such as the Defense Department and Federal Aviation Administration.
   The GAO also cited the large number of open recommendations from its prior reviews of technology developments at agencies, such as Customs and the Coast Guard.
   “The majority of open recommendations are associated with securing information, having an architecture or blueprint to guide system development efforts, managing IT investments, and developing and acquiring information systems,” the GAO said.
   “Since September 1996, we have reported that poor information security is a widespread federal problem and therefore have designated it as a government-wide high-risk area,” the agency said.
   GAO undertook its recent study, “Homeland Security: Information Technology Funding and Associated Management Issues,” at the request of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Senate Committee on Government Affairs.