Blending TSA, Expansion
by John Infanger
September 2002
Industry Security Briefs
The latest from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other sources
•
TSA reports that by the end of August it had expected to have sent
site survey teams, via contractor Lockheed Martin, to 390 U.S. airports
for assessment of checkpoint configuration. At the same time, contractor
Boeing was expected to have visited 250 airports to assess locations
for explosive detection equipment.
• Federal security directors (FSDs), appointed by TSA, tell
the Senate Commerce Committee that they expect to have open lines
of communication with airport operators and other airport stakeholders.
• Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge is quoted in Kansas
City and St. Louis newspapers as favoring the extension of the year-end
luggage screening deadlines. According to AIRPORTS, Ridge’s
office later backed away from the remarks.
• The Aviation Security Enhancement Act, sponsored by Rep.
Kay Granger (R-TX), would give TSA more flexibility in meeting the
2002 deadlines, and would require airports to notify the agency
by Nov. 1 if they will be unable to meet them. TSA and the airports
would then work together on an alternative plan. A similar bill
is under consideration in the Senate.
• TSA publishes in the August 8 Federal Register its interim
rules (TSAR 1503) for investigative and enforcement procedures,
which become effective February 8, 2003. Rule reportedly reflects
most existing FAA procedures.
Examination
of how Madison, WI, is moving forward, adjusting
MADISON, WI — On 9/11/01, executives
at Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) were in the midst of reconstructing
their terminal, itself not 20 years old. A strong air carrier market was
growing at 3 percent per year. The airport’s infrastructure needed
to grow. During the past year, officials here have adjusted and modified
and kept building. The main questions unanswered: Will TSA buy in? And,
will it all work?\
Acting
airport director David C. Jensen and his team have worked to keep the
overall renovation project moving, while trying to anticipate modifications
that might be required by the Transportation Security Administration.
Acting deputy director William G. LeGore estimates the airport has already
spent some $1 million in modifications to the original $58 million project.
Says Jensen, "We’re probably ahead
of most airports because of where we were in our expansion plans. Immediately
after 9/11, with what we saw coming down the road, we began a redesign
of the building and putting in the threat protection."
Yet, sharing the experience of most U.S.
airports since the TSA took over the nation’s airport security responsibility,
officials here have had little definitive direction from the agency. In
late July, however, the inspection teams of Boeing and Lockheed, TSA agents,
came to Madison to conduct their security analysis and hold meetings with
airport and airline officials.
Interestingly, a forum of U.S. mayors earlier
in the year brought TSA officials to Madison, at which time airport officials
were able to spend considerable time with then-TSA Undersecretary John
Magaw.
Explains Jensen, "We engaged Magaw
to get these teams here earlier because of the design considerations on
a project that was in process. And that’s what happened. I understand
we had been scheduled for later. The Boeing guy told me, ’You guys
got put on the top of the pile.’
"The Boeing and Lockheed teams were
very pleased with our plan, and only slight modifications were done."
Anticipating
TSA needs
As Jensen and his team have attempted to
anticipate TSA needs and requirements, they have worked to put in place
proposals that they call reasonable, and ones with which they are comfortable.
Explains Jensen, "We have tried to
provide different solutions that we could implement very easily, that
are of a responsible nature, to comply with the mandates. Then, the TSA
can put Madison airport to bed and not have to worry about it anymore.
We know that they’ve got a big job to accomplish.
"We want to be as proactive, as partnering,
as possible with the TSA and make their job easier. We’re providing
solutions; we just need answers back to get the go-ahead."
The first issue on Jensen’s list is
law enforcement officers (LEOs). His recommendation: "Make the local
law enforcement presence here permanent." As at many airports, the
airport has a long-standing working relationship with local LEOs, in this
case the Sheriff’s office. According to Jensen, an agreement inked
between the county and the TSA is contracting for Sheriff’s officers
to continue conducting security functions at Dane County Regional through
2003, at an overtime rate of $52/hour. Jensen would like to make the arrangement
permanent, which would give the Sheriff’s office justification for
hiring four recruits while reducing the cost to $41/hour.
Another key issue for Jensen: Eliminate
the open bid process for airport projects that are security sensitive,
and replace it with a quality-based selection process. He is concerned
that anyone posing as a prospective bidder can obtain the specs.
"We feel it is irresponsible to go
out for bid through the normal process because of all the security-related
modifications and accommodations of our new, expanded terminal, which
includes TSA-mandated provisions. We’ve hardened the building; we’ve
designed new checkpoints, new baggage screening areas; and we’ve
made provisions to prevent biochem types of incidents. We’ve enhanced
our inherent airport security system — the cameras, the doors.
"We feel the responsible thing to do
is to go through a quality-based selection process, where we pre-qualify
contractors and their sub-contractors, and give them copyrighted sets
of our plans and specifications. Then they can go through a competitive
bid."
Another of Jensen’s issues found its
answer the very day of this interview: Getting in place the new federal
security director, who was subsequently named and with whom Jensen says
he is "very pleased."
Screening
Options
To meet the December 31 baggage screening
deadline, Madison officials expect to see a series of electronic trace
detection devices in front of the eight airline ticket counters, creating
an anticipated logjam in a modest lobby.
Longer term, officials have redesigned the
terminal project to include a hold room for three inline explosive detection
systems, and in time a fourth as a spare. Bags checked in at the airlines
follow a conveyor to the EDS room, and then back to the individual carriers’
ramps. The airport’s largest carrier, Northwest, has expressed a
desire to stay with a process using ETDs.
Comments Madison customer service manager
Peter M. Hinton of Northwest Airlines, regarding the ability to match
suspect bags with passengers, "How are we going to do that? The passenger
is going to be away from the luggage; it’s going to be a real issue.
But Madison isn’t the only one facing that issue. Maybe we should
continue to use the ETD machines; rather than an interim process maybe
it should be a permanent process."
Yet, Hinton remains optimistic that the
year-end deadline of screening all luggage at MSN will be achieved. "I
think 100 percent screening can be accomplished by the end of 2002, with
the assumption that we’ll get an adequate number of ETD machines
and an adequate number of personnel to run those ETDs. The burden is on
the TSA."
Jensen says TSA indicates it will need some
200 employees to conduct screening at MSN, handled today with some 90
employees, many part time. TSA’s total space requirements were unknown
in August, but the airport has a vacant weather office available. Officials
here say they are prepared to redesign. "We don’t have any space
in the terminal at all," says Jensen. "We will have some available
to them once our expansion is complete."
