Business Continuity Plan (U.S. VISIT-DHS)
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The aim of this business continuity is to guarantee continuous business operations of the US_VISIT (DHS) whenever disasters strike. Through this business continuity plan, the company has higher chances of prevailing during the disasters or financial crisis. In times of crisis or emergency within operations, the following key personnel would retain their positions within the company. This indicates that they are extensive vital to the operations and role executions in meeting goals and objectives of the organization. Internal key personnel include
Chief of Staff
National Protection & Programs Director
Inspector General
General Counsel
Chief Financial Officer
U.S Secret Service
Health Affairs Director
Domestic Nuclear Detection Director
Backups
Deputy Secretary
Executive Secretariat
Military Advisor
Science & Technology Director
These departmental offices are critical aspect of the organization. In case stated personnel are on vacation or held somewhere during daily operations, their assistants or selected individuals would fill the vacant positions. This would guarantee continuity in business despite the absence of key personnel within the organization. This level of continuity would ensure that organization achieve its goals and objectives. Other insensitive departments would suspend their operations for the moment of the disaster or reduce the number of employees to cut down the cost of operations. Special direction from the superior officials would dictate on who to give way for the moment of crisis.
Personnel who can telecommute
In the event of uncertainty within operations of the company, the following personnel can operate from home under the use of specific communication gargets.
Military Advisor
Science & Technology Departmental Personnel
Deputy Secretary
Legislative Affairs Department
Public Affairs Department
In extreme event of crisis, the key personnel would have to shift operations to their respective residential homes. This would imply that the company applies the use of communication gargets reserved for special situations. This would allow for continuity of operations in moment of tragedies or financial risks. Special and field agents would also receive orders and instructions from their homes. Execution of orders would depend on the gargets available to these agents in moment of uncertainty. Officials who cannot telecommute from their residential homes would receive special attention and treatment from the organization. These members include domestic nuclear department and chief of staff. Their operations would move to the new location cite of the company to ensure that the overall mission and vision of the company are achieved (Asgary & Naini, 2011).
External Contacts
In moments of financial crisis, U.S.-VISIT (DHS) would seek the assistance of the federal government through the help of the attorney general and chief of general staff. This would offer first option for crisis assistance in order to boost chances of business continuity. Whenever the company face financial crisis or inadequacies, the first option for external assistance would be the Central Bank of the United States of America. This aims at boosting the financial reserves in cases of difficulties or uncertainty. In order to facilitate effective and efficient telecommunication among the key personnel, U.S.-VIST (DHS) would seek external assistance from the postal department. This precaution would ensure that key personnel who telecommute have access to critical information about operations and role expectations. These activities in relation to external sources or contacts would enhance the degree of business continuity within the company (US_VISIT, DHS). The chief mediator in the interaction with external contacts would be Chief of Staff. Execution of the business continuity plan would happen under the directives of the supreme organ of the company. This would pave way to interaction with the external source. The aim of external contact is to offer guarantee to the operations of the company in ensuring provision of security services (Blos et al., 2010).
Critical Equipment
Digital computers and databases are vital equipment in conducting operations within the company. In order to survive crisis or uncertainty of the equipment, the company has black boxes to act as backups. All information in the database system is copied to the black box to assist in moments of failure of the computers or information systems. Different departments also have folders and files as backups for information in the database system. These precautions offer valid continuity chance to the company to overcome uncertainty in achieving the goals and objectives in relation to the security of the nation. The organization also has backup equipment agreement with other security agencies (Blos et al., 2010). This involves equipment such as copies of vital information on the state of security of the nation. In case of loss of the equipment, the organization can trigger the agreement to obtain the vital information. This acts as a precaution against uncertainties within the contemporary world.
Critical Documents
Articles relative to banking information, legal aspect of the organization, taxation documents, and critical human resource structure and activities are kept both in hard and soft copies. This provides the company with backups in the case of loss of hard or soft copies in moments of crisis. In case of total destruction of the company in relation to structure and facility, these documents would provide the chance to start over the business. Some of the hard copies of critical documents are kept in secret locations to avoid contamination or interference from the public or intruders (Jones, 2011). This ensures that the company has enough backup documents in case disaster strikes. These documents would facilitate continuation of operations in providing security to the citizens of the United States of America. Some of the files are kept with other security agencies on the land such as CIA and FBI. These documents act as backup files to the information on the database system of the company. Availability of these documents in soft and hard copies offer guarantee to continuity in operations of the company. This would ensure that the security of the citizen is provided in moments of disasters
Contingency Equipment Options
The company conducts its operations using vehicles and large trucks to facilitate movements of field agents and personnel. In case of destruction of these facilities and equipment, the company has an agreement with the government to assist in provision of such vital tools of operations. This would ensure continuity in the movement of personnel as they execute their roles. Assistance from the government would act as a precaution in case of crisis relative to the vehicles or transportation system of the company. U.S.-VISIT (DHS) would also seek assistance from other security agencies in provision of transportation system in the moments of need. This alliance or agreement would offer guarantee to the operations of the company in difficult moments hence business continuity (Jones, 2011).
Contingency Location
In the process of modifications to the company’s location, personnel would conduct operations in the special location belonging to the organization. This would involve transfer of operations would infer relocation to New Jersey which house the secret facility belonging to the company. The building has vital equipment to sustain operations of the company in critical moments. The facility boasts of effective and efficient communication system, good storage devices, and reliable ammunition. These would ensure that the company continues its operations in the event of destruction of the official location cite. This precaution guards against anticipated and unanticipated crisis or challenges. This is because of uncertainty in the contemporary world (Momani, 2010).
‘How to’
When disaster strikes in relation to operations of the company, Chief of Staff would offer the needed directive on how to proceed in order to continue service delivery to the public. This would involve description on who to telecommute to avoid eventual breakdown in service provision to the public. Chief of Staff would communicate the vital information to various departmental heads to ensure that they execute their roles according to the prescription of the business continuity plan. Chief of Staff would act as chief mediator in relation to external contacts while seeking for assistance. This job description would demand interacting with the government, security agencies, postal department, and attorney general. would have to decide on the reduction process with respect to employees or personnel. This would be based on the critical nature of the personnel to overall operations of the company. After rational reduction on the quantity of employees, departmental heads would communicate this information to the relevant agents or personnel. This would be done through a meeting organized by the Chief of Staff. Orders for relocation in case of destruction of the facilities would come from the chief of staff. At this moment of the crisis, employees would learn of the secret location. They would also obtain critical information on how proceed with the relocation programs. Communication is vital for role or orders transfer hence department responsible for the system would ensure that each crucial personnel has access to relevant gargets. This would promote the level of communication within the remaining aspects of the organization. Critical employees would also ensure that they execute their orders from any point within the nation. Continuity would be guaranteed in application and execution of the precautions under directives of the continuity plan (Momani, 2010).
Reference
Homeland Security. Retrieved From
http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm
Blos, M.F., Hui-Ming, W., & Yang, J. (2010). Analysing the external supply chain risk driver competitiveness: A and business continuity plan. Journal Of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 4(4), 368-374.
Jones, V.A. (2011). How to Avoid Disaster: RIM’s Crucial Role in Business Continuity Planning. Information Management Journal, 45(6), 36-40.
Asgary, A., & Naini, A. (2011). MODELLING THE ADAPTATION OF Business CONTINUITY PLANNING BY BusinessES USING NEURAL NETWORKS. Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance & Management, 18(2/3), 89-104. doi:10.1002/isaf.326
Momani, N.M. (2010). Business Continuity Planning: Are We Prepared for Future Disasters. American Journal of Economics & Business Administration, 2(3), 272-279.
