Submitting Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) Input

Attachment A: Submitting Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) Input

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has considered at great length how to best achieve robust and substantive stakeholder engagement in the QHSR, given a primary challenge: the homeland security community is so vast that physically convening representative and inclusive study groups that are also able to work efficiently and effectively is virtually impossible. Fortunately, new Internet-based tools facilitate substantive engagement while also harnessing the “wisdom of crowds” to arrive at more holistic and robust solutions. Given the nature of our mission, the homeland security community must be at the forefront of efforts at all levels of government to leverage these technologies in pursuit of better public policies.

To that end, DHS will be seeking stakeholder input for the QHSR in two primary ways: solicitation of thoughts, positions, or ideas on all of the study areas at the outset of the review; and creation of an online collaborative portal where stakeholders will have the opportunity to add their perspectives at select points during the review on the key questions, concepts, or ideas under consideration by QHSR study groups. In doing so, DHS intends to create a true national dialogue on homeland security.

DHS welcomes stakeholder recommendations, ideas, and position papers (either pre-existing or new) on the QHSR generally or guided by the parameters of the study plan set forth below. These papers should clearly identify the study topic being addressed, and succinctly articulate the association’s position or perspective(s) on the issue.

The QHSR study areas are as follows:

1. Counterterrorism and Domestic Security Management: This study area includes transportation system security, critical infrastructure protection, cyber security, and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) protection.

2. Securing our Borders: This study area includes facilitating the lawful flow of people and goods through our ports of entry, while securing the borders and approaches to the United States against smuggling and trafficking of people, money, drugs, and weapons.

3. Smart and Tough Enforcement of Immigration Laws: This study area includes welcoming legal immigrants and administering the lawful immigration system, protecting against dangerous people entering the country, pursuing tough, effective enforcement of immigration laws, and comprehensive approaches.

4. Preparing for, Responding to, and Recovering from Disasters: This study area includes all elements of an all-hazards emergency management system.

5. Maturing and Unifying DHS and the Homeland Security Enterprise: This study area includes three separate studies –

• DHS Strategic Management

• Homeland Security National Risk Assessment

• Homeland Security Planning and Capabilities

For each of the four mission areas (Counterterrorism and Domestic Security Management, Securing Our Borders, Enforcing Smart and Tough Immigration Laws, and Preparing for, Responding to, and Recovering from Disasters), please consider four basic questions:

1. What are our strategic goals in each of these mission areas, in order of priority?

2. What measurable objectives should align to each of the strategic goals?

3. How do current Presidential directives, national strategies, and other Federal homeland security documents align to, and advance, these goals and objectives?

4. Is there confusion over roles and responsibilities, either among Federal agencies, or among stakeholders, within these mission areas?

The fifth focus area, Maturing and Unifying DHS and the Homeland Security Enterprise, will look at three issues: DHS Strategic Management; Homeland Security National Risk Assessment; and Homeland Security Planning and Capabilities. For these studies, please consider the following questions:

1. What is the purpose of a homeland security national risk assessment?

2. What methodology or process should be used to assess homeland security risk at a national level?

3. Should there be one risk assessment process or multiple processes?

4. What is the best process for homeland security planning? Should there be a single homeland security planning process, or should there be national planning standards?

5. How can we best define homeland security capabilities? How can we best set national targets for homeland security capabilities? How can we best build and sustain national homeland security capabilities? How can we best measure and assess national homeland security capabilities?

DHS highly values stakeholder input on these topics. Input should submitted via email to QHSR@dhs.gov by June 15, 2009 so that the study groups and White House interagency policy committees considering these issues will have the benefit of stakeholder insights at the outset of the review. The subject line should read: “QHSR: [Insert Your Organization’s Name]”. When submitting materials, please include a signed Copyright License Form, which is enclosed. This signed copyright license form will provide DHS the non-exclusive authority to use the materials submitted for the QHSR.

For further information, please refer to the QHSR webpage, http://www.dhs.gov/qhsr. In the days to come, further information will be posted regarding how the Department and the study teams will engage in the online national dialogue with stakeholders during the course of the QHSR. In addition, as the study progresses, individual and organizations may be called upon for input in specific topic areas.