Yet another innovation I had the honor to undertake earlier in my government career and lead while serving as a member of the senior cadre at The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) was the creation of the Intelligence Community Capability Requirements (ICCR) process which has made significant strides in optimizing how the Intelligence Community (IC) manages capability requirements for systems acquisition. One of the most transformative developments was the establishment of a streamlined ICCR process, which is tailored specifically to the unique needs of the IC—distinct from the Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) process.
Put simply, I was at the helm of creating a new, simpler way for the group of agencies that oversee national security and intelligence to figure out what tools and resources they needed. Its fundamental objectives were to produce mission-driven capability requirements that are operationally relevant, system dependent, fiscally informed, and realistically achievable through a responsive and efficient acquisition system, while ensuring an agile senior decision making process that drives reasoned material and non-material solutions to mission critical, high impact IC capability shortfalls.
This innovative approach codified and put into place a simplified, adaptable, and streamlined requirements process, moving capability requirements and critical associated resource discussions upstream in the budget formulation cycle. This transformative new business process not only reduced the complexity and bureaucracy typically associated with intelligence-related acquisitions but also improved the agility and responsiveness of the IC to emerging threats and intelligence needs.
Leading the ICCR Process: A Tailored Approach for the IC
At the core of this initiative was the creation of a specialized office within the ODNI—the ICCR Staff—which I had the privilege of directing. Composed of a 15-person core team, including contractor support, the ICCR Staff became the intelligence community's senior business process manager. We were responsible for overseeing the development of capability-based requirements criteria, documentation, and processes that would support the Director of National Intelligence’s (DNI) acquisition, planning, programming, and budgeting responsibilities.
Mission: Lead and manage the development, analysis, validation, and prioritization of Intelligence Community Capability Requirements and Required Performance Measures to enable better informed, best-value strategic investment decisions supporting national security objectives.
Our focus was to create a process tailored to the IC, which differed significantly from the more defense-oriented JCIDS process of the DoD. Intelligence operations require a different set of criteria and timelines, particularly given the rapid evolution of global threats and the necessity for quick adaptation. By streamlining and tailoring the process to the IC’s specific operational environment, we were able to improve the speed and effectiveness of intelligence system acquisitions, while maintaining the necessary rigor and oversight.
Cross-Community Collaboration: Driving Efficiency through Coordination
One of the key responsibilities of the ICCR Staff was to facilitate cross-community working groups involving representatives from multiple intelligence agencies. These working groups were instrumental in collecting, coordinating, and prioritizing intelligence capability requirements, ensuring that the most critical needs were brought forward for validation by the ODNI Intelligence Resources Board (IRB).
The collaborative nature of this process allowed us to cut through silos and foster a more unified approach to intelligence acquisitions. By coordinating across the IC, we were able to present a more coherent and well-rounded set of requirements, which in turn enabled the DNI to make informed, best-value investment and policy decisions.
Bridging the IC and DoD: Coordination with the Joint Requirements Oversight Council
In addition to overseeing IC-specific processes, we maintained a crucial connection to the DoD through coordination with the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC). This partnership ensured that intelligence capability requirements were not developed in isolation, but rather aligned with broader defense priorities. Given the increasing overlap between national defense and intelligence operations, this coordination was essential to ensuring that systems acquisitions served both national intelligence and defense needs.
Serving as the IC’s senior focal point to the JROC, the ICCR office played a pivotal role in harmonizing the development and prioritization of requirements for systems that supported not only defense but also national intelligence decision-makers, analysts, and operators. This helped create synergies across the DoD and the IC, continuing to optimize resource allocation and ensuring that the capabilities delivered met the needs of both communities.
The Results: A More Agile and Efficient Process
The introduction of the ICCR process, backed by a dedicated team and a collaborative, cross-agency approach, has been a game-changer for the IC’s acquisition and capability development framework. By creating a process specifically tailored to the unique requirements of intelligence systems, and by integrating intelligence and defense priorities, we were able to streamline acquisition timelines and improve strategic decision-making within the ODNI.
The ICCR process remains after a decade and a half since first implemented as an exemplar of how targeted innovation can drive efficiency and responsiveness in government, enabling the Intelligence Community to stay ahead of rapidly evolving global challenges. It not only reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks but also ensured that the capabilities developed and acquired were the right fit for the intelligence mission—ultimately empowering the DNI to make (and continue to make) well-informed, strategic investments.
This article was originally published on LinkedIn.
