Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Information and Technology Charles Armstrong said, "We are delighted the CBPMO has achieved this Level Two rating. This effort has allowed the CBPMO to focus on improving the management of the Modernization program by using the model to continuously improve its acquisition processes. We are committed to continuing that process and institutionalizing improvements."

Acting CBPMO Executive Director Sharon Mazur congratulated the CBPMO on its successful effort. She said, "This shows the processes are in place for the CBPMO to be a good steward of taxpayer funds when acquiring software and systems." She noted achieving the Level Two rating helps maintain support from Congress, the General Accounting Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Department of Homeland Security.

The SA-CMM assessment team, including representatives from Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute (SEI), began the formal rating process on October 27, 2003. The team interviewed key CBPMO project staff and reviewed documents to conclude CBPMO has institutionalized "repeatable" processes to manage its acquisitions.

The Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model is a management tool designed to make software acquisition and management easier and more accountable by creating a sound organizational structure for managing system acquisition projects. It was developed in 1996 by representatives from the Department of Defense, several civilian government agencies, and private industry under the leadership of Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute.

The CBPMO leads the enterprise-wide effort to modernize CBP operations and technology. Through this effort, each major mission area of CBP will be modernized, including trade, enforcement, and administration. Benefits include equipping CBP personnel with state-of-the-art technology to protect citizens and sustain the vitality of our economy, maximizing the efficient use of CBP resources. Modernization will position CBP to be a knowledge-based organization -- getting the right information, to the right people, at the right time and place.