DHS Joint Requirements Council Act of 2018

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a Joint Requirements Council in the Department of Homeland Security. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the DHS Joint Requirements Council Act of 2018 2. Joint Requirements Council (a) In general Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 341 710. Joint Requirements Council (a) Definition of joint requirement In this section, the term joint requirement (b) Department leadership councils (1) Establishment The Secretary may establish such Department leadership councils as the Secretary determines necessary to ensure coordination and improve programs and activities of the Department. (2) Function A Department leadership council shall— (A) serve as a coordinating forum; (B) advise the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on Department strategy, operations, and guidance; (C) establish policies to reduce duplication in programs; and (D) consider and report on such other matters as the Secretary or Deputy Secretary may direct. (3) Relationship to other forums The Secretary or Deputy Secretary may delegate the authority to direct the implementation of any decision or guidance resulting from the action of a Department leadership council to any office, component, coordinator, or other senior official of the Department. (c) Joint Requirements Council (1) Establishment There Secretary shall establish within the Department a Joint Requirements Council. (2) Mission In addition to other matters assigned to it by the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, the Joint Requirements Council shall— (A) identify, assess, and validate joint requirements (including existing systems and associated capability gaps) to meet mission needs of the Department; (B) ensure that appropriate efficiencies are made among life-cycle cost, schedule, and performance objectives, and procurement quantity objectives, in the establishment and approval of joint requirements; and (C) make prioritized capability recommendations for the joint requirements validated under subparagraph (A) to the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, or the chairperson of a Department leadership council designated by the Secretary to review decisions of the Joint Requirements Council. (3) Chairperson The Secretary shall appoint a chairperson of the Joint Requirements Council, for a term of not more than 2 years, from among senior officials of the Department as designated by the Secretary. (4) Composition The Joint Requirements Council shall be composed of senior officials representing components of the Department and other senior officials as designated by the Secretary. (5) Relationship to future years Homeland Security Program The Secretary shall ensure that the Future Years Homeland Security Program required under section 874 is consistent with the recommendations of the Joint Requirements Council required under paragraph (2)(C), as affirmed by the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, or the chairperson of a Department leadership council designated by the Secretary under that paragraph. . (b) Technical and conforming amendment The table of sections in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( Public Law 107–296 Sec. 710. Joint Requirements Council. .

Summary: DHS Joint Requirements Council Act of 2018 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish leadership councils to ensure coordination and improve programs and activities of the department. DHS must establish a Joint Requirements Council within the department to: identify, assess, and validate joint requirements to meet mission needs; ensure that appropriate efficiencies are made among life-cycle cost, schedule, performance, and procurement quantity objectives in the establishment and approval of joint requirements; and make prioritized capability recommendations for the joint requirements. A "joint requirement" is a condition or capability of multiple operating components of DHS that is required to be met or possessed by a system, product, service, result, or component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed document.