Structure, Functions, and Processes of the Center of Excellence: Federal Program Analysis

Key Chapter Title List

1. Introduction
2. Research Methodology
3. Analysis of DHS Centers of Excellence
4. Evaluation of Other Federal Programs
5. Recommendations and Conclusion
6. Supplementary Materials for DHS Centers of Excellence Review
7. Supplementary Materials for Federal Program Evaluation
8. List of Acronyms
9. References

Document Introduction

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 authorized the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish university-led Centers of Excellence (COEs), creating a coordinated academic research system to enhance homeland security capabilities. These centers are managed by the Office of University Programs (OUP) under the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and undertake core tasks such as cutting-edge research, technology transfer, curriculum development, and talent training. As of January 2024, the landscape consists of 8 active centers and 12 emeritus centers.

To evaluate the core structure, functions, and processes of this system and identify areas for optimization, OUP commissioned the RAND Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) to conduct an independent study in September 2022. The research team not only systematically reviewed the operational status of the DHS Centers of Excellence but also selected 21 similar programs from 11 federal departments, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Health and Human Services, for comparative analysis, forming a comprehensive cross-departmental research perspective.

The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including review of publicly available materials, analysis of internal documents (such as standard operating procedures and evaluation reports), and in-depth interviews. Interview subjects covered 88 stakeholders, including DHS COE personnel, departmental stakeholders, OUP staff, and representatives from other federal programs. Key themes and core findings were extracted using qualitative coding techniques.

Core research findings revealed key challenges in the operation of DHS Centers of Excellence: uncertainty in funding disbursement and the complexity of contract processes affect research continuity; the evaluation system overlaps with existing university mechanisms, creating a significant administrative burden; inconsistent privacy compliance processes lead to project delays; there are differences in technology transfer effectiveness between active and emeritus centers; and emeritus centers face sustainability challenges such as funding interruption and loss of networks after transitioning. Simultaneously, cross-departmental comparisons showed that successful federal centers of excellence commonly feature close collaboration between federal agencies and academic institutions, diversified funding support, and flexible cooperative agreement mechanisms.

Based on empirical analysis, the report proposes six core recommendations. These include alleviating misalignments between the government and universities regarding funding cycles and reporting requirements, adopting tailored evaluation criteria, strengthening transparent interaction between federal internal organizations and the centers of excellence, establishing a unified mechanism for applying standards and policies, building an intellectual property protection system, and specifically addressing the unique challenges of transitioning DHS Centers of Excellence to emeritus status. These recommendations provide a practical framework for the federal government to optimize academic research partnerships and enhance the translation efficiency of homeland security-related research, offering significant reference value for relevant policy formulation, project management, and academic collaboration.