TSA seeks better airport screening methods

A month before the public outcry over the use of full-body scanners at airports, the Transportation Security Administration already was seeking alternative technologies to improve public safety.

On Oct. 1, TSA announced plans to award research and development funding during the next year for security innovations, including enhanced passenger and cargo screening concepts. But the agency has hardly promoted its search for better technologies as public pressure mounts for the government to scrap the machines. In November, security officials instituted more thorough pat-downs and wider use of body scans, following a foiled plot hatched in Yemen to bomb cargo aircraft traveling to the United States. Privacy advocates say the body scanners are too invasive, while some security experts argue the systems are not effective counterterrorism measures.

The recent solicitation, referred to as a broad agency announcement, is posted on FedBizOpps.gov, which few outside the Washington contracting community visit. According to the notice, TSA is "specifically interested in research that will provide for near-term improvement of current security operations and capabilities," in the areas of passenger and baggage screening, threat assessment and dissemination, cargo screening and credentialing. The agency plans to accept proposals and review them on a rolling basis through September 2011.

TSA is seeking 10-page white papers that outline proposed studies, prototypes, demonstrations and tests, rather than specific services or acquisitions. Full research proposals will be accepted, though they are not required.

"Procurement instruments awarded under this BAA are strictly for those purposes as directed toward advancing the state of the art and increasing knowledge or understanding related to transportation security," said the announcement, which was updated on Nov. 23 to answer technical questions.

Projects will be selected based on their overall scientific and technical merit; potential importance and relevance to TSA's mission; the applicant's capabilities, experience, facilities, personnel and techniques; proposed costs; and availability of federal funding. "The technical factors are significantly more important than the cost factor," the announcement said.

Selected projects will be funded through contracts, grants, cooperative agreements and other instruments using a variety of payment models.

Contracting officials said TSA should be commended for conducting this kind of market research before buying services and products.

"We see these BAAs a lot in the science and technology side of homeland security, energy, [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]," said Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel at the Professional Services Council, a trade association.

But he criticized the agency for not promoting the initiative through other channels. "They should be broadly marketing it to the world, not just FedBizOpps," Chvotkin said. "It ought to be in broad business publications. You don't want to reach the usual suspects."

Ray Bjorklund, chief knowledge officer at market research firm FedSources, said the new funding program sounds more productive than the contests the Obama administration has been publicizing to solve the nation's problems. Challenge.gov, a website the White House launched in September, lets Americans submit ideas for the chance to win cash and other prizes.

"To TSA's credit, if we use the BAA as evidence, the government has been addressing the screening technology and process issues for some time, culminating in the BAA," Bjorklund said.

As for the quiet release of the solicitation, he said, "Sometimes there are national security reasons why you don't loudly advertise what you're looking for."

TSA officials were unavailable for comment.