THE INTERIM IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REPORT IN SUPPORT OF THE 

INFORMATION SHARING ENVIRONMENT

BACKGROUND 

What is the Information Sharing Environment (ISE)?

In accordance with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act 2004 (IRTPA), the 

Information Sharing Environment will link the resources (people, systems, databases, and 

information) of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, the private sector, and foreign 

allies, to facilitate information sharing, access, and collaboration among users to combat 

terrorism more effectively. 

The Information Sharing Environment is to be created in a manner consistent with national 

security and the information privacy rights and other legal rights of Americans. 

The Information Sharing Environment is not a new technology, database or system; it will be 

created through further defining, changing, or establishing policies, procedures, cultures, and 

technologies. 

Per IRTPA, terrorism information can include information from the intelligence, law 

enforcement, military, homeland security, and other communities. 

Who is the Information Sharing Environment Program Manager (ISE PM)?

The IRTPA created a new position, called the Program Manager, for a two-year term. The 

President designated the Program Manager on April 15, 2005. 

The IRTPA directs that the Program Manager to: 

(1) “plan for, oversee the implementation of, and manage the government-wide Information 

Sharing Environment; 

(2) assist in the development of policies, procedures, guidelines, rules, and standards as 

appropriate to foster the development and proper operation of the Information Sharing 

Environment; and 

(3) assist, monitor, and assess the implementation of the Information Sharing Environment by 

Federal departments and agencies to ensure adequate progress, technological consistency and 

policy compliance, and regularly report its findings to Congress.” 

Executive Order 13388, creating the Information Sharing Council (ISC) and identifying the PM 

as the chair, is an interagency forum. The ISC is integral to the success of the ISE as a 

mechanism that will effectively support and advise the PM during implementation, as well as 

ensure coordination among participants for the establishment of the ISE.

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What are the President’s Guidelines and Requirements for Information Sharing?

Section 1016 of the IRTPA calls on the President to create an Information Sharing Environment 

for the sharing of terrorism information and to “determine and enforce the policies, directives, 

and rules that will govern” the ISE. 

Section 1016(d) of IRTPA further calls for the President to: 

1. Leverage all ongoing efforts consistent with establishing the Information Sharing 

Environment; 

2. Issue guidelines for acquiring, accessing, sharing, and using information; 

3. Issue guidelines that protect privacy and civil liberties in the development and use of the 

Information Sharing Environment; and 

4. Require the heads of Federal departments and agencies to promote a culture of 

information sharing. 

On December 16, 2005, the President issued a Memorandum that sets forth seven guidelines and 

requirements, some of which correspond directly to the requirements of the IRTPA, while others 

address important collateral issues that are essential to the ultimate success of the ISE. 

The implementation of the guidelines and requirements will do the following: 

1. Clarify information sharing roles and authorities across agencies; 

2. Implement common standards and architectures to facilitate timely and effective 

information sharing;

3. Improve the Federal government’s terrorism information sharing relationships with State, 

local and tribal governments, the private sector, and potentially foreign allies; 

4. Revamp antiquated classification and marking systems as they relate to sensitive but 

unclassified information; 

5. Provide for the further protection of information privacy rights and other legal rights of 

Americans in the development and use of the Information Sharing Environment; and 

6. Require departments and agencies to promote a culture of information sharing by 

assigning personnel and dedicating resources to terrorism information sharing and by 

holding their senior managers and officials accountable for improved and increased 

sharing of such information while protecting national and homeland security. 

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What is the Implementation Plan Report for the ISE?

 

Section 1016(e) of the IRTPA requires the President to submit an Implementation Plan 

to Congress within 1 year of enactment To initially respond to this requirement, the Program 

Manager, on January 9, 2006 provided to Congress an Interim Implementation 

Plan Report (iPlan). 

This interim report describes the 11 requirements stated in IRTPA and provides a road map for 

developing the comprehensive Implementation Plan for the ISE, which is expected to be 

submitted to the Congress in July 2006. 

This interim plan identifies a vision and strategy for the development of the ISE, and describes 

the corresponding activities to be undertaken by the PM, Federal departments and agencies, 

State, local, and tribal governments, and private sector entities. 

What approach will you use to implement Section 1016 of the IRTPA and the President’s 

Requirements and Guidelines for the ISE?

Given the complexity and size of the ISE, an incremental and iterative implementation 

approach⎯fully grounded in the overall ISE vision⎯offers the most practical and cost efficient 

strategy to achieve the vision of the ISE. This type of approach, instead of a top-down approach, 

enables a continuous assessment and integration of programs, evolution of an ISE architecture, 

and timely performance monitoring and resource management to achieve the long-term vision 

and goals of the ISE. 

To respond to the requirements in Section 1016 of IRTPA, ISE implementation will be based on 

a three-pronged strategy: 

1. Implementation of Presidential Guidelines and Requirements; 

2. Support and augmentation for existing information sharing environments, such as the 

National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC); and 

3. A process for integrating the Presidential Guidelines and Requirements with the needs of 

the broader ISE, addressing overall ISE functions, capabilities, resources, conceptual 

design, architecture, budget, and performance management 

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