DHS moves quickly to redirect Emerge2

"Early metrics didn't look good, so the agency will adopt shared-services model

One size doesn't fit all for the Homeland Security Department when it comes to financial management.

Officials decided to completely overhaul its Elec-tronically Managing Enter-prise Resources for Gov-ernment Effectiveness and Efficiency 2 (Emerge2) program and let department components choose among an array of existing financial-service providers. DHS then will pool the data in a warehouse to allow financial managers to drill down into separate components' financial records.

'We now plan to use a center-of-excellence model,' said Andy Maner, DHS' outgoing chief financial officer.

The Emerge2 project will not be rebranded, though there may be some new contractors, he added.

DHS now plans to let its components choose among five DHS providers of financial management services as well as outside federal agencies that provide the services, such as the Interior Department's National Business Center and the ERP services of the Treasury Department's Bureau of Public Debt.

UP AND RUNNING - DHS providers to choose from:

The five DHS agencies that already operate ERP systems are:

Customs and Border Protection, which uses software from SAP America Inc. of Newton Square, Pa., with IBM Corp. as a systems integrator. The CBP system supports 3,500 users but no other DHS components at this time.

The Coast Guard, which operates its Core Accounting System using Oracle Corp.’s financial software and already supports the Transportation Security Administration, in a move shepherded by the CFO office.

The Secret Service, which uses Oracle software supported by BearingPoint Inc. of McLean, Va.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, which uses Momentum financial software provided by CGI-AMS. FLETC now is beginning to absorb the financial tasks needed by the Intelligence and Analysis Directorate and the Operations Directorate.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which uses the Federal Financial Management System provided by Savantage Solutions Inc. of Rockville, Md."