GAO: DHS Acquisition Goals Need Clearer Documentation for Better Transparency

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spends billions annually on major acquisition programs that provide critical technology and systems to safeguard the United States. From biometric facial recognition at U.S. entry points to Coast Guard patrol vessels, these investments are meant to enhance national security, disaster response, and border protection. However, the latest Government Accountability Office (GAO) annual assessment found that while most programs meet their current cost and schedule targets, many have adjusted those targets multiple times—without always clearly documenting why.

Billions in Cost Increases and Ongoing Risks

GAO analyzed 17 DHS programs with approved cost and schedule baselines and found that while all but one are currently on track, most have revised their original goals, some as many as three times. Since their initial cost projections, the total budget for these programs has increased from $33.1 billion to $41.3 billion.

GAO flagged two primary concerns:

1. Lack of Clear Documentation – DHS guidance emphasizes tracking the reasons for changing acquisition goals but does not specify what should be recorded. As a result, some programs revise cost and schedule targets without fully explaining the drivers of those changes. GAO recommends DHS standardize how these changes are documented to improve transparency for decision-makers.
2. Cost and Schedule Risks Remain – More than half of DHS’s 24 major acquisition programs face financial or scheduling challenges moving forward.

Programs at Risk for Cost Growth and Delays

1. Cost Risks – The Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter (PSC) and Offshore Patrol Cutter programs account for more than one-third of DHS’s projected acquisition costs in 2024. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the PSC program alone could exceed its current cost goal by $2 billion.
2. Schedule Risks – Fifteen DHS programs face potential delays, with multiple Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection programs affected by funding challenges and other factors.

GAO’s Longstanding Concerns

Since 2014, GAO has made approximately 220 recommendations to improve DHS acquisition programs and policies. DHS has taken action on most, but about 50 remain unresolved, including critical improvements needed for Coast Guard acquisitions and the DHS acquisition workforce.

Why This Matters

DHS plans to invest more than $41 billion in its major acquisition portfolio. Ensuring that cost and schedule changes are well-documented is vital for government accountability, taxpayer confidence, and program effectiveness. GAO’s report emphasizes the need for consistent documentation practices so that policymakers can better track DHS’s long-term spending and operational efficiency.

Read the full GOA report here.