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Rand Corparation to Operate Homeland Security Center

Oct 11, 2016

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has selected the RAND Corporation, an American nonprofit global policy think tank, to operate the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center, which will conduct technical and operational research and analysis to aid the department, officials announced. According to RAND’s website, the new center will be a federally funded research and development center, and is funded under a five-year contract worth as much as $494.7 million.

“RAND is honored and excited to be selected by DHS to assist with its important work,” said Michael D. Rich, president and CEO of RAND. “The new center provides another opportunity for RAND to serve the public and apply its expertise on issues such as terrorism, border security and other topics critical to protecting the U.S. homeland.”

The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center will conduct analysis and make recommendations to strengthen DHS across its full set of missions to prevent terrorism and enhance security, secure and manage U.S. borders, enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard and secure cyberspace, and strengthen national preparedness and resiliency.

The inaugural director of the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center will be Terrence K. Kelly, a RAND senior operations researcher. Henry H. Willis, who has headed RAND’s ongoing portfolio of homeland security research, will serve as associate director.

RAND is joined in this effort by four partners that each bring special expertise and knowledge of DHS and its many missions: Innovative Decisions Inc., Microsystems Integration Inc., the University of Maryland and the University of Southern California.

The center is expected to focus on several areas: acquisition studies, homeland security threat and opportunity studies, organizational studies, regulatory doctrine and policy studies, operational studies, research and development studies, and innovation and technology acceleration.