Rob Thorne, chief information security officer of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will address the agency’s recent modernization efforts across the technology landscape. During Potomac Officers Club’s 2021 Border Protection Innovations and Technology Forum, Thorne will join an expert panel to discuss innovation, emerging technologies and modernization that will support national security.
To register for the 2021 Border Protection Innovations and Technology Forum, as well as view upcoming opportunities, visit Potomac Officers Club’s Event Page.
DHS has continually worked to identify, adapt and deliver innovative and disruptive commercial technology solutions to enhance safety and effectiveness to maintain a competitive edge. With ICE, Thorne is responsible for the overall information security of the ICE IT enterprise, including protecting systems, networks, user access and ensuring ICE systems meet federal security mandates.
He leads the ICE Security Operations Center and oversees the tactical and strategic approach for managing system risks through the ICE continuous monitoring program. In addition, Thorne works closely with mission partners in support of the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and secure communications.
DHS recently issued the “DHS Agency Reform Plan (DARP)” to comply with Executive Order 13781, “Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing the Executive Branch,” The reform plan will guide the improvement of effectiveness, accountability and efficiency. The DARP identifies key outcomes, under the Financial Systems Modernization (FSM).
The initiative will support IT acquisition by leveraging the DHS’ buying power, which will reduce IT procurement costs. Additionally, DARP will drive the DHS Procurement Delivery Model. The model will work to implement efficient and effective procurement delivery structure and business processes.
DARP will also support financial transactions by reducing cost, improving efficiency and data quality and strengthening internal controls through standardizing processes, as well as streamlining systems and services.
DHS intends to transition all DHS headquarters (HQ) and Components to standard business processes implemented using as few separate solutions as is practicable and cost effective. This effort is intended to reduce cost, improve efficiency and data quality and strengthen internal controls through standardizing processes and streamlining systems and services.
In the beginning of Feb. 2021, DHS began to seek information on potential industry sources that could provide artificial intelligence, machine learning and other automation tools and information technology support services for the FSM joint program management office (JPMO).
The department’s FSM JPMO plans to award a two-year contract for IT engineering and service management, administrative and clerical support and management advisory support services under the Intelligence Automation initiative to help advance electronic invoicing and automate other financial transactions in compliance with federal requirements and mandates.
The initiative covers five task areas: data capture/optical character recognition; automated workflow and robotic process automation; process analytics and dashboards; test/development environments; and training. DHS is also seeking skills and knowledge in software engineering, business process reengineering, IT program governance and portfolio management, among others.
During Potomac Officers Club’s 2021 Border Protection Innovations and Technology Forum, Thorne will be joined by experts across the private and public sectors. The panelists will also include Benjamine Huffman and Ed Mays of CBP. Shamlan Siddiqi, chief technology officer of NTT DATA’s Public Sector will moderate the panel.
Potomac Officers Club will also feature Rachelle Henderson, chief information officer of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as a keynote speaker during the 2021 Border Protection Innovations and Technology Forum.
To register for the 2021 Border Protection Innovations and Technology Forum, as well as view upcoming opportunities, visit Potomac Officers Club’s Event Page.
