Contratistas Riesgos706740

May 2020
DHS SERVICE CONTRACTS

Increased Oversight Needed to Reduce the Risk
Associated with Contractors Performing Certain
Highlights of GAO-20-417, a report to
Functions
congressional requesters
Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found

DHS’s spending on services—such From fiscal years 2013 through 2018, the Department of Homeland Security
as guard services and technology (DHS) increased its reliance on contracts for services, particularly those in
support—represents over 75 percent categories that may need heightened management attention, such as drafting
of its annual contract obligations. The policy documents (see figure). These services include functions that are closely
Office of Management and Budget associated with inherently governmental, critical, or special interest, which could
has recognized that some service put the government at risk of losing control of its mission if performed by
contracts require extra management contractors without proper oversight by government officials.
attention because they pose a risk
that the government could lose Proportion of Department of Homeland Security Contract Obligations for Services in Need of
control of its decisions or operations. Heightened Management Attention, Fiscal Years (FY) 2013 through 2018, in FY 2018 Dollars
GAO was asked to review DHS’s use

of and planning for service contracts.
This report addresses, among other
objectives, the extent to which DHS
and selected components and offices
use, oversee, and budget for service
contracts.
GAO analyzed Federal Procurement
Data System-Next Generation data
from fiscal years 2013 through 2018;
selected non-generalizable samples
of four components with high service
contract obligations and eight service
contracts requiring heightened
management attention; and
interviewed DHS officials. GAO found that DHS and selected components do not consistently plan for the
What GAO Recommends level of federal oversight needed for these contracts because there is no
guidance on how to document and update the number of federal personnel
GAO is making six recommendations, needed to conduct oversight. GAO also found that program and contracting
including that DHS provide guidance officials from six of the eight contracts GAO reviewed did not identify specific
for documenting and updating the oversight activities they conducted to mitigate the risk of contractors performing
federal workforce needed to oversee functions in a way that could become inherently governmental. DHS lacks
certain service contracts and guidance on what these oversight tasks could entail. Without guidance for
identifying oversight tasks, and report
documenting and updating the planned federal oversight personnel needed, and
service requirement information in
identifying oversight tasks, DHS cannot mitigate the risks associated with service
budget documents to Congress. DHS
agreed with two of the
contracts in need of heightened management attention.
recommendations and did not agree Selected DHS components have information on service requirements, but budget
with four of them. GAO continues to documentation—submitted to DHS headquarters as well as to Congress—does
believe the recommendations are not communicate details about most estimated or actual service contract
valid, as discussed in the report. requirements costs. Given that services account for over three-quarters of DHS’s
annual funding for contracts, additional insights would shed light into how much
of DHS’s mission is being accomplished through services, including those
requiring heightened management attention. Without more visibility into this
View GAO-20-417. For more information, information, DHS headquarters and Congress are at risk of not having complete
contact Marie A. Mak at (202) 512-4841 or information for sound resource planning and decision-making, particularly as it
makm@gao.gov. relates to determining what proposed service contract requirements DHS should
prioritize when budgeting.
United States Government Accountability Office

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May 2020

DHS SERVICE CONTRACTS

Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found

GAO was asked to review DHS’s use

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