Supply Chain Solutions

Indices of Performance

Solutions

Need an enterprise architecture - provides a blueprint of the hardware, software, and

related policies needed to achieve defined business objectives. Such an

architecture serves as the agency's road map to future systems development,

network updates or changes, and implementation of key federal requirements.

Centralization of servers: FEMA created a state-of-the-art, distributed

client-server architecture, providing each region with its own set of servers to

support regional operations. FEMA must move toward a more centralized database structure and consolidate its data storage systems. Such centralization would help ensure data consistency, use less bandwidth, and facilitate backup recovery because the information would be readily available in one place. Presently, information on regional servers must be replicated across multiple servers at FEMA headquartersÐ'--a process that delays data exchange and consumes bandwidth.

Must Integrate IT systems

Need to look at System Performance reports to see where and why FEMA servers were crashing and unable to support the workload capacity

* Need to fully define and document systems requirements - FEMA's reactive approach encourages short-term systems fixes rather than long-term solutions, contributing to the difficulties that FEMA encounters in efficiently and effectively supporting response and recovery operations. Without taking the time to fully define and document systems requirements, it is difficult for FEMA to evaluate effectively viable alternatives to its highly complex, custom designed systems. Further, the reactive manner in which IT systems are funded and implemented has left little time for proper systems testing before they are deployed.

- establish forums to discuss system requirements

- get feedback from actual users of the system (or customer advocates)

- Cannot determine if any COTS systems can be used until FEMA clearly defines what business and system requirements they need to meet

- Systems need to be properly tested in an environment thatduplicates the real systems environment and ensures that all systems components are properly and thoroughly tested prior to their release.

Problem: FEMA uses custom software, state and local authorities use many COTS systems which are constantly being upgraded. "The federal government cannot compete with the private industry on developing systems. According to this state agency, private industry is developing multiple systems to support emergency management operations. However, because federal systems do not always use the most up-to-date technology, it is becoming more difficult for state agencies to share information with the custom designed federal systems as states upgrade their own off-the-shelf systems."

1. Need to define system and business requirements

2. Need to integrate IT systems ["Because of the unintegrated IT environment, during the 2004 hurricanes, [DHS'] systems did not effectively handle increased workloads, were not adaptable to change and lacked needed capabilities," said Richard Skinner, DHS' IG, in the report. Those weaknesses led to operational inefficiencies that hurt the delivery of crucial services and supplies."] [EP&R's IT systems cannot share information with one another; federal, state and local first responders; or the National Incident Management System, which coordinates those systems. The systems can't allocate essential services and commodities or generate useful and timely reports about ongoing operations]

- Once DHS and FEMA requirements