The Homeland Security Department’s massive new system for processing import-export data faces continuing cost and scheduling problems, the General Accounting Office said today. Customs and Border Protection, a DHS agency, last year inherited the Automated Commercial Environment project from the Customs Service. IBM Corp. in 2001 had won a competition for the $1.3 billion, 15-year ACE program. Since then, cost and scheduling problems have multiplied, GAO reported. ACE releases 1 and 2 cost $109.4 million instead of the planned $86.1 million, while releases 3 and 4 ballooned from $146.4 million to $192.4 million, GAO said. Meanwhile, Release 1 was delayed by a month, Release 2 by five months, Release 3 by five months and Release 4 by seven months, the auditors found. Release 3 was scheduled for completion in March but has been pushed to August. Release 4, scheduled for July, has been pushed to February 2005. Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.