Accenture wins $297M Border Patrol agent hiring support contract

Accenture’s U.S. federal subsidiary has won a five-year, $297 million contract to help the Customs and Border Protection agency recruit and hire 7,500 additional officers and agents amid President Donald Trump’s push for increased border security.

CBP received five offers for the contract and has obligated almost $42.7 million for the initial base year. The agency awarded the firm-fixed-price contract to Accenture Federal Services on Nov. 17, according to Deltek data.

The company will assist CBP in efforts to add 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents, 2,000 customs offers and 500 agents for the Office of Air and Marine Operations to monitor the U.S.-Mexico border.

This hiring push aligns with a series of executive orders and a February memo from then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly that directed CBP to hire more agents.

The White House’s fiscal year 2018 budget blueprint sought $314 million for the Homeland Security Department to hire 500 new Border Patrol agents and 1,000 new law enforcement personnel for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

News of the contract was first reported Tuesday by the San Diego Union-Tribune, which said CBP has only 19,500 agents on staff as of May versus the congressionally-mandated 21,370 agent roster. CBP has more than 40,000 officers and agents in both Border Patrol and customs, according to that report.

CBP specifically sought contractor help with applicant testing, screening for suitability and application process streamlining.

Accenture will also help carry out market research, data analytics, recruitment and advertising functions.