National Information 
Exchange Model (NIEM) 
ProgramOverview and StatusOctober 10, 2008


Donna Roy

Acting Executive Director, DHS 

Justin Murphy, 

Acting Deputy Director, DOJ

www.niem.gov



State of NIEM: Value Statement


NIEM is the tool used across DHS, DOJ, and 
our state, local, and tribal partners for 
enabling interoperability at the data layer 
within and across systems, preserving 
investments in current technology, and 
optimizing new technology development.



State of NIEM: Major Components


Information Exchange Model

Governed by Practitioners


Information Exchange Package 
Documentation and Lifecycle


image002

State of NIEM: Current Adoption 


DiffusionOfInnovation
2005


2008-2009


2010-2013


2014-beyond


•DHS adoption at 35 percent of major IT programs, 60 percent for end of FY09
–FY08 focus on IEPDs has increased adoption significantly (over 90 percent of components with 
adoption)
–Measure compliance with ITAR and IRB reviews
–Built into SOA guidance and SELC



•DOJ adoption 
–CJIS System of Systems
–Terrorism Screening Center (TSC)
–FBI’s Guardian
–N-DEx/One DOJ
–Future Development of NGI



•DOD/DNI adoption through Maritime Domain Awareness and Ucore 2.0
•PM-ISE adoption of the TSC Terrorist Watch Listing and Suspicious Activity 


Reporting Functional Standards

•25 of 50 states using NIEM
–mostly in justice-oriented applications
–Real ID implementation







State of NIEM: Adoption Challenges 


•Confusing landscape
–DHS Geospatial Data Model 2.5
–UCore 2.0
–Maritime Information Exchange Model 1.0
–Emergency Data Exchange Language 





(EDXL Common Alerting Protocol and Distribution Element)

•Gap between implementation and NIEM IEPDS
–DHS SOA Framework
–DOJ Enterprise Architecture guidance
–BJA’s Justice Reference Architecture



•Trainingdoes not meet anticipated need in quality and quantity
–Need to augment curriculum and need vendor help



•Tools are kluged together, do not meet needs of most implementers
–Need vendor help in tools development






KLUGE: term frequently used by engineers to mean something not designed 
as a whole but rather put together from available parts. 



State of NIEM: Program Challenges 


•Inconsistent fundingfrom DOJ, DHS, BJA, and PM-ISE 
–Inconsistent amount, schedule, and contract vehicles
–Strengthening program requires sustainable funding strategy
–Appropriate model for funding, based on domain use 
–Shift from “free” to “subsidized” for services such as training and technical support



•Growth focus and scope 
–Struggle with focus on data exchange versus message formatting
–Domain growth: Who gets a domain? How many can we support? What makes 
sense?



•Virtual program: limited dedicated federal support
–PMO: Part-time DHS/DOJ leadership, supported by contractors
–Fellows Program increased stability, focused on results, lacks top-down direction, 
temporary solution
–Committees perform majority of work, with volunteers







Road Ahead: NIEM PMO @ DHS


DOJ CIO, Vance Hitch

DHS CIO, Rick Mangogna

BJA Director, Domingo S. Herraiz

CTO PM ISE, Clark Smith


Executive Director: DHS Donna Roy

Deputy Director: DOJ Justin Murphy


DOJ: Boris Shur

NASC: Tom Clarke


IJIS: Paul Wormeli

DHS S&T: Denis Gusty


DHS ICE: Phil Letowt

State of Pennsylvania 

Representative: 

Linda Rosenberg


Policy Advisors From 

DOJ

DHS

BJA 

PM-ISE



Road Ahead: NIEM PMO @ DHS


Leadership turnover activities:

•Run program with minimal changes for three months
•Document state of NIEM as of end of FY2008
•Assemble State of NIEM Team by November 1, 2008
–Program Management and Contracts
–Technical Model and Tools
–Marketing, Outreach, and Training
–PMO staffing



•In 90–120 days, recommendation report for NIEM ESC focused on sustaining 
controlled growth to meet program and adoption challenges (January/February 
2009)