The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will appoint an ad hoc committee to review and assess the capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS) for maximizing DHS’s data transparency and consistency, strengthening evidence-based decision-making, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of statistical reporting. As part of its review, the committee will consider the following issues:

• national and international standards and best practices for federal statistical agencies and units, including for collecting, producing, and analyzing objective, credible, accurate, relevant, and timely information, data confidentiality, transparency and dissemination, and evidence-based decision making;
• challenges, barriers, and facilitators for effective execution of federal statistical agencies’ fundamental responsibilities and evidence-building functions;
• key examples of different types of data (e.g., administrative data, surveys) and best practices and methods for processing and linking different types of data to produce high-quality statistical information;
• best practices for conducting credible and trustworthy statistical data collections, linkages, reporting, and analyses that are relevant to stakeholders’ key questions and evidence-building needs and consider data integrity and privacy;
• the range of topics covered by DHS programs; and
• OHSS’s key stakeholders and partners, including within DHS, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, Congress, and the public.

The study report will provide conclusions and recommendations to enhance OHSS’s current capabilities for aligning with standards and best practices for a federal statistical agency, including for producing statistical data and analyses that support evidence-based decision making. The report will provide a roadmap for implementation of the recommendations.