Private sector could help DHS invest better.

• Author: Fein, Geoff S.
• Position: Security Beat

The Department of Homeland Security should look to the private sector as an example of how best to invest and manage its funds, said W. Scott Gould, chief executive officer of The O'Gara Company.

Speaking before the House Select Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Border Protection, Gould said homeland security is strengthened "when its limited resources are managed in a coordinated fashion."

The O'Gara Company is a government, corporate and international homeland security consulting firm.

"The private sector regularly uses portfolio investment techniques to manage financial, technical and human resource allocation decisions," he said. "I believe we should do so in homeland security, as well. The public sector is familiar with these tools."

Allocating resources in relation to the threats the nation faces may be the most "vexing issue for the homeland security leadership in the administration today," Gould said.

"Should we focus our limited resources on preventing and detecting attacks or responding to the consequences of attacks? Which means should we use to prevent particular types of attacks? How many layers of security do we need to protect against any particular scenario?" he said.

The O'Gara Company developed a framework to assist policy makers to think through the issues, said Gould. The system would allow the DHS to weigh the costs and benefits...