https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated July 9, 2021
Intelligence Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Evaluation
(IPPBE) Process
The statutory elements of the Intelligence Community (IC)
use the Intelligence Planning, Programming, Budgeting,
and Evaluation (IPPBE) process to identify requirements
and allocate resources that develop and maintain IC
capabilities through development and execution of the
National Intelligence Program (NIP) budget. The NIP is
intended to support priorities described in national
intelligence-related strategy documents such as the National
Intelligence Strategy (NIS) and Consolidated Intelligence
Guidance (CIG). The IPPBE process also supports the
participation of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
in the development of the Military Intelligence Program
(MIP).
IC Directive 116, Intelligence Planning, Programming,
Budgeting, and Evaluation System provides guidance for the
IPPBE process. The IPPBE process applies to all 18 IC
components (listed below).
Statutory IC Elements (50 U.S.C. §3003)
DOD Components:
National Security Agency (NSA)
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
U.S. Army Intelligence (G2)
U.S. Navy Intelligence (N2)
U.S. Air Force Intelligence (AF/A2)
U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence (MCISR-E)
U.S. Space Force Intelligence (S-2)
Non-DOD Components:
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Department of Energy (DOE): Office of Intelligence and
Counter-Intelligence (I&CI)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Office of
Intelligence and Analysis (I&A); and U.S. Coast Guard
Intelligence (CG-2)
Department of Justice (DOJ): Drug Enforcement
Administration Office of National Security Intelligence
(DEA/ONSI); and Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s
Intelligence Branch (FBI/IB)
Department of State (DOS): Bureau of Intelligence and
Research (INR)
Department of the Treasury (Treasury): Office of
Intelligence and Analysis (OIA)
NIP and MIP
IC spending is usually understood as the sum of two
separate budgets: (1) the NIP funds national intelligence
capabilities and programs that support products and
services of the entire IC; (2) the Military Intelligence
Program (MIP) funds military-specific tactical capabilities
and programs in support of warfighters. Non-DOD
intelligence components do not receive MIP funds.
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) manages the
NIP budget directly through the IPPBE process. The Under
Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security
(USD(I&S)) manages the MIP, with input from the DNI
through DOD’s Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and
Execution (PPBE) process. The latter is separate and
distinct from the IPPBE process. DOD intelligence
components such as NSA, NGA, and DIA receive both NIP
and MIP funds. Thus, the DNI collaborates with the
USD(I&S) to try to ensure that whether managing through
IPPBE or PPBE and, to the extent possible, the national and
military intelligence programs complement one another in
holistically addressing IC requirements.
Key Players
While each phase of the IPPBE process—planning,
programming, budgeting, and evaluation—has a designated
lead on the ODNI staff, that person and staff work in
concert with many others in the ODNI and intelligence
components to synchronize all IC efforts. Key players
include:
USD(I&S)
Under Secretary of Defense (USD) Comptroller/Chief
Financial Officer (USD(C)/CFO))
Assistant DNI (ADNI) and IC Chief Financial Officer
(CFO)
Program Examiners from the Office of Management
and Budget’s (OMB) National Security Division
Congressional authorization and appropriation
committee staff, sometimes referred to as Program
Monitors.
DOD’s PPBE vs. IPPBE
The DOD PPBE process allocates resources within DOD,
mainly to the Armed Service components, to organize, train
and equip military forces for combat and to cover all
necessary support missions.
MIP funds are allocated, via the PPBE process, to DOD
intelligence components. Intelligence-related Component
Managers—the senior leader for intelligence in each of
DOD’s military intelligence components—manage the MIP
