Daines bills aim for acquisition reform at Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) has introduced a package of four bipartisan reform bills that would ensure the billions of dollars spent by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) each year on acquisition programs are done so efficiently and effectively.

As a federal lawmaker, Daines said this week that it’s part of his job “to make sure the federal government is a good steward of taxpayer dollars” and consistently is held to “a high standard of fiscal responsibility” when it comes to how DHS manages its major purchases and prevents waste, fraud and abuse.

“We need to strengthen accountability within the bloated federal government without sacrificing security,” Daines said.

Specifically, the Senate bills he introduced with U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) all would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to: codify acquisition best practices; increase transparency and accountability; and increase communication, as well as understanding the needs of the industry providing certain technologies.

Another of Daines’ bills would require that the Inspector General and Congress be notified when certain cost, schedule and performance objectives are not met or if there is a program breach.

The senators said in introducing their bills that far too often, DHS programs are late, come in way over budget, lack the tools to address challenges, or officials turn a blind eye to the embedded problems.

In fact, a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reviewed 26 acquisition programs at DHS during fiscal year (FY) 2016 worth $7 billion. The average delay was six months with cost overruns of $988 million for FY 2016, and $1.57 billion over the lifecycle of a program, according to the GAO report.

GAO also recommended in its report that DHS needed to define technical requirements before setting baselines; document the rationale for key acquisition decisions; and clarify guidance on how programs are to report breaches.

Daines and McCaskill suggested that DHS also establish an Acquisition Review Board within the department to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations and management directives, among other duties to improve the department’s management of acquisitions.

“This legislation is critical to making sure frontline personnel get the tools they need to keep our nation safe while also preventing waste, fraud, and abuse,” said U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Companion bills have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives: H.R. 1249; H.R. 1252; H.R. 1282; and H.R. 1294. The latest action on all four bills took place in March and three bills have been referred to the House Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. H.R. 1282 was placed on the Union Calendar.