Contractors Sought For Airport Security Screening The Transportation Security Administration is accepting applications from security contractors wishing to provide passenger and baggage screening at the nation’s airports. Beginning Nov. 19, airports are permitted to opt out of the federal screening program and replace the federal security personnel with contractors. The contracts will be awarded and managed by TSA, not the local airports. TSA said it will create separate Qualified Offeror Lists for small and large firms. If two qualified small businesses are willing to bid on a particular airport’s contract, it could be set aside under the “rule of two,” a TSA official said. In a presolicitation notice in the Nov. 5 Federal Register, TSA said companies that meet technical and financial requirements for the Qualified Offeror Lists will compete for a Blanket Ordering Agreement. The resulting Qualified Vendor List will be divided into geographical regions, and task orders will be awarded for screening at individual airports. Interested contractors must provide capability and certification statements by Nov. 29. The solicitation, number HSTS01-04-Q-OPTOUT, is posted at www.tsa.gov under the hyperlinks “Spotlight,” then “Screening Partnership Program,” then “SPP Program Policy and Acquisition Guidance,” then “Combined Presolicitation/Synopsis notice.” It contains instructions for preparing capability statements. A TSA official said the agency plans to provide contractors with some form of full or capped liability coverage to protect them from lawsuits in case of a terrorist attack, but no details have been released. Airport operators have also expressed fear of liability if terrorists slip through. The federal government took over screening of airport passengers and baggage more than three years ago, under legislation passed by Congress after the 9/11 attacks. Congress provided airports the opportunity to opt out of the federal program. It is not known how many of the nation’s 440 commercial airports will apply to switch to contract screeners. “That’s the 64-dollar question,” said David Plavin, president of the Airport Council International, an association of airport operators. “The numbers I’ve seen range from 25 to 75 and every place in between.” Published reports indicate the Washington and Denver airports might be among those to opt out. TSA’s Federal Security Directors at each airport will oversee the screening contractor. Contractor employees must meet the same requirements as federal screeners, and they must receive at least equal compensation and other benefits as federal screeners. TSA said federal screeners will be given priority for contractor jobs when they are replaced by contractors. In announcing the Screening Partnership Program last July, Asa Hutchinson, Homeland Security undersecretary for border and transportation security, said, “Professionalism and security will remain our top priority and if airports choose to enter the Screening Partnership Program, the new private sector screeners would have to perform to the high level of standards put in place by TSA following the federalization of screeners after the September 11 terrorist attacks.” TSA has been operating pilot programs with contract screeners since November 2002 at five airports: San Francisco, Kansas City; Rochester, NY; Jackson Hole, WY; and Tupelo, MS.