The replacement for the Homeland Security Department’s computerized network for nationwide information sharing could be headed down the same path as its cumbersome original, said a government report released Wednesday.
The Homeland Security Information Network, or HSIN, was launched in 2004 to provide a secure, Internet-based system to share terrorism information with federal, state and local agencies and the private sector. Last year officials stopped trying to improve the $91 million system, opting instead to replace it with a new and improved version, called HSIN Next Gen, which could cost as much as $62 million more.
The original was criticized for limited capabilities and features that made the system hard for users to navigate. That was particularly true for users in critical areas such as transportation systems and food distribution. For example, the original system could not let users use one sign-in name and password, send and receive alerts through e-mail or cell phones or support online meetings, the Government Accountability Office said.
GAO, Congress’ investigative arm, found that plans for HSIN Next Gen are not clear, which could lead to delays and higher costs for the final product. And an internal department review of the original system found that HSIN had been developed without enough planning and management, GAO said.
The contract for the new system was awarded in June to Virginia-based General Dynamics. The first system was run by several contractors, including Raytheon Co. and Man Tech International Corp.
The Homeland Security Department describes the new system as a “software upgrade” and defends the success of the original system among its law enforcement and emergency management partners. For instance, during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when New Orleans’ 9-1-1 emergency telephone system went down, the city was able to link with the HSIN network to carry about 20,000 9-1-1 calls, said Homeland Security spokesman…