LETTER TO NORMAN Y. MINETA FROM JOHN N. MCMAHON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R001703130041-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 6, 2008
• Sequence Number: 41
• Publication Date: September 20, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2008/05/06 : CIA-RDP85M00364R001703130041-5
 Approved For Release 2008/05/06 :CIA-RDP85M00364R001703130041-5
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 Approved For Release 2008/05/06 : CIA-RDP85M00364RO01703130041-5
central Intelligence agency
The Honorable Norman Y. Mineta
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
DD/A Registry
fa os,?S77
2 0 SEP 1982
The enclosure to my letter of 29 June 1982, contained detailed responses
to your questions regarding the joint CIA/DIA SAFE Project. As I mentioned,
there were several options being considered for redirecting the SAFE Project.
As a result of an internal audit, serious deficiencies were found to exist
in the program. Following the audit, the program managers for both the
government and the contractor were replaced. Subsequently, the program office
was directed to develop a proposal that would lead to correction of the major
deficiencies identified in the audit.
On 1 September 1982, the Director of Central Intelligence approved the
redirection of the SAFE Project. The redirection is predicated on three
important points. First, the new approach recognizes that SAFE's requirements
are strongly related to commercial developments in the areas of data base
systems, electronic mail, and office automation. Furthermore, software currently
available within the government is also applicable to the user's needs. While
not all of SAFE's requirements can be fulfilled by these sources, it is the
intent of the implementation approach to minimize any software development and
the associated risks by purchasing, modifying, and integrating available soft-
ware.
Second, and similarly fundamental to the redirection, was the selection of
a hardware and system software environment that would allow us the widest
possible access to software products from the market place. To this end, we
have selected IBM-compatible configurations for both CIA and DIA.
Third, the redirection approach provides for the delivery, beginning
March 1983, of an early capability to part of the intelligence analyst popula-
tion of both the CIA and DIA. This will allow the analysts to have early
access to several important functions in support of their work and will become
the foundation on which the system will be built.
On the whole, we believe that the SAFE Project, as redirected, provides
a more manageable approach, with significantly less risk, for meeting the
needs of the intelligence analyst.
!2 le~
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 Thank you for your continued interest in the SAFE Project, and if I can
be of further assistance, please contact me directly.
Sincerely,
/S/ John N. MtMahon
John N. McMahon
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
STAT D/CSPOdraft)
Typed:O/DDA:kmg
STAT Revised:EO/DDA_ba(16Sep82)
Distribution:
Orig - Adse
1 - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - EXDIR
1 - ER
1 - D/OEA
1 - D/ICS
1 - DD/DIA
1 - Vice Ass't Director/Resources & Systems, DIA
1 - D/ODP
1 - D/CSPO
1 - DDA Subj
1
1-
1 - EO Chrono