TSA Procurement Opportunities (as of 8/5/14)
Aug 5, 2014, 10:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 729
TSA Procurement Opportunities (as of 8/5/14)
There are current TSA future procurement notices that may be of interest on this forum. These include:
So TSA seems to still be interested in monitoring on-line activities. Also, TSA seems to be enhancing its involvement in freight transportation.
"Stand-off threat detection capability" appears to be the ability for TSA to detect threats from a distance. One vendor claims that its product can detect guns and such up to 4 meters away. TSA checkpoint queue scanning, anyone?
"The Government has a requirement for four (4) Seated Shooting Aircraft Simulators in support of the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program with an option to purchase an additional four (4)."
"The Transportation Security Administration requires a turn-key, transportation security -specific, Enhanced Domain Awareness (EDA) to generate observation reports. The EDA service is open source media monitoring, social network monitoring analysis and awareness integration."
"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement (OSPIE), is seeking contractor support to reproduce/edit (Current Highway guides-Highway Infrastructure, Trucking, Motorcoach, and School Bus) and create new guides and provide content with the assistance of TSA Modal Specialist for domain awareness security guides for the following modes of transportation, Pipeline, Maritime, Freight Rail, Cyber Security, Mass Transit. These domain awareness guides will serve as a tool for identified Surface stakeholders to increase their security awareness and security posture by providing recommendations and modal-specific best-practices."
"Implementation and modification of an existing stand-off threat detection capability, known as the SPO stand-off threat detection system, to enable the screening of a subset of the travelling population ‘on the move’ providing real-time information about an individual’s potential threat to the local population and environment, and enables transportation security screeners to make well informed decisions about initiating an escalation of security protocols on a specific individual."
"The Transportation Security Administration requires a turn-key, transportation security -specific, Enhanced Domain Awareness (EDA) to generate observation reports. The EDA service is open source media monitoring, social network monitoring analysis and awareness integration."
"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement (OSPIE), is seeking contractor support to reproduce/edit (Current Highway guides-Highway Infrastructure, Trucking, Motorcoach, and School Bus) and create new guides and provide content with the assistance of TSA Modal Specialist for domain awareness security guides for the following modes of transportation, Pipeline, Maritime, Freight Rail, Cyber Security, Mass Transit. These domain awareness guides will serve as a tool for identified Surface stakeholders to increase their security awareness and security posture by providing recommendations and modal-specific best-practices."
"Implementation and modification of an existing stand-off threat detection capability, known as the SPO stand-off threat detection system, to enable the screening of a subset of the travelling population ‘on the move’ providing real-time information about an individual’s potential threat to the local population and environment, and enables transportation security screeners to make well informed decisions about initiating an escalation of security protocols on a specific individual."
"Stand-off threat detection capability" appears to be the ability for TSA to detect threats from a distance. One vendor claims that its product can detect guns and such up to 4 meters away. TSA checkpoint queue scanning, anyone?
Aug 5, 2014, 11:03 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
There are current TSA future procurement notices that may be of interest on this forum. These include:
So TSA seems to still be interested in monitoring on-line activities. Also, TSA seems to be enhancing its involvement in freight transportation.
"Stand-off threat detection capability" appears to be the ability for TSA to detect threats from a distance. One vendor claims that its product can detect guns and such up to 4 meters away. TSA checkpoint queue scanning, anyone?
So TSA seems to still be interested in monitoring on-line activities. Also, TSA seems to be enhancing its involvement in freight transportation.
"Stand-off threat detection capability" appears to be the ability for TSA to detect threats from a distance. One vendor claims that its product can detect guns and such up to 4 meters away. TSA checkpoint queue scanning, anyone?
Aug 5, 2014, 5:38 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,331
Well, WE didn't, but given that Congress believed CIA when they said they wouldn't ever dream of spying on Congress members and hacking their computers in clear violation of multiple laws, I'm sure that Congress believes that TSA has nothing but angels and butterflies monitoring social media with the most non-invasive techniques imaginable.
Aug 10, 2014, 12:18 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 729
I found some more procurement docs that I thought were interesting.
The TSA operations center is called the Freedom Center? Seriously?
- Award of a contract for gym memberships for TSA staff near the airport on Phoenix. Why?
- Advance notice of an RFP for boarding pass scanners. This program "supplements TSO manual processes, reducing dependency on the TSO to visually inspect boarding passes to verify passenger vetting status." No cost is provided in the notice, but it will likely cost millions to implement this, even though TSA has not provided any reviewable studies to support boarding pass inspection in the first place.
- Cancellation of a solicitation for administration of "pre-employment assessments." What is most interesting to me is that the original reads like a technology procurement, which would seem to confirm past criticisms of TSA as an organization that throws money at technology even when technology solutions might not be appropriate. "The CATS system will be used by TSA to evaluate candidates for a variety of positions including administrative, management, professional, and executive positions. These positions will be in a variety of business, technical, and security operations-related disciplines at the entry-level, team lead, first-line supervisor, manager, and executive levels. The CATS shall be Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) technology..."
- Information sought for creation of a Customer Service Center. Does that sound like a step in the right direction? It's not! The notice explains that "[TSA's Office of Human Capital] will be the leader in government customer service, providing a high quality customer experience to employment candidates and employees. Customer service will be provided via a number of technologies (i.e., phone, email and web) and assist candidates and employees by answering questions that can be easily answered using vendor-created/government-approved content and resources." TSA's "customer" is not the traveler but itself!
The TSA operations center is called the Freedom Center? Seriously?
Aug 10, 2014, 2:03 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
Award of a contract for gym memberships for TSA staff near the airport on Phoenix. Why?
Advance notice of an RFP for boarding pass scanners. This program "supplements TSO manual processes, reducing dependency on the TSO to visually inspect boarding passes to verify passenger vetting status." No cost is provided in the notice, but it will likely cost millions to implement this, even though TSA has not provided any reviewable studies to support boarding pass inspection in the first place.
Your point, however, on the lack of reviewable studies justifying inspecting boarding passes in the first place is well-taken.
The question of who TSA's true "customer" is has been debated endlessly. Even the public statements of TSA employees differ on whether or not the traveling passenger should be considered a "customer".
Aug 10, 2014, 4:21 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: A3, AA. Plasticy things! That give me, y'know, Stuff!
Posts: 6,293
The question of who TSA's true "customer" is has been debated endlessly. Even the public statements of TSA employees differ on whether or not the traveling passenger should be considered a "customer".
Apparently no one in government understands the high school business class difference between a customer and a client, let alone how to act when you have both.
Aug 10, 2014, 4:54 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
Well, we were just talking about Phoenix here. I have no idea if similar benefits are available to employees at other locations.
And just because those benefits are available doesn't mean folks take advantage of them. I have that benefit at work and ... well, let's just say that it's pretty apparent that I don't use it.
Serious question here ... what's the difference? I've never had any formal business training, so I'll admit my ignorance on the topic ...
And just because those benefits are available doesn't mean folks take advantage of them. I have that benefit at work and ... well, let's just say that it's pretty apparent that I don't use it.
Serious question here ... what's the difference? I've never had any formal business training, so I'll admit my ignorance on the topic ...
Aug 10, 2014, 10:10 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: A3, AA. Plasticy things! That give me, y'know, Stuff!
Posts: 6,293
Fair enough. The terms do often get thrown around willy nilly. A customer is someone you have a transactional relationship with. A client is someone you have an ongoing relationship with. When you go into Burger King and get a burger you are a customer. When Burger King comes into your office and signs a four year contract for 5 tonnes of dog meat then they are your client.
Aug 10, 2014, 10:24 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: UA,WN,AA,DL, B6
Posts: 4,168
Looking at the average TSO, any gym benefits aren't working.
Lots of food places at most airports during slow periods see a lot of agents eating too much food not being burned off.
Apparently no one in government understands the high school business class difference between a customer and a client, let alone how to act when you have both.
Lots of food places at most airports during slow periods see a lot of agents eating too much food not being burned off.
Apparently no one in government understands the high school business class difference between a customer and a client, let alone how to act when you have both.
Aug 11, 2014, 3:30 am
#11
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 57,952
"Victim" is the most appropriate word to describe passengers who are forced to interact with TSA.
Aug 11, 2014, 4:03 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,331
Actually, it's more of a high school civics class thing - government employees seem to forget that, by definition, they are our employees, and we are their employers, if not their direct supervisors. We are the stockholders in their 'company', yet many of them seem to think that they are our lords and masters.
Last edited by WillCAD; Aug 11, 2014 at 5:13 am Reason: Typos!
Aug 11, 2014, 4:17 am
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Actually, it's more of a high school civics class thing - government employees seem to forget that, by definition, they are our employees, and we are their employers, if not their direct supervisors. We are thestockholders in their 'company', yet many of them seem to think that they are our lords and masters.
Aug 11, 2014, 5:12 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,331
The return on our 'investment' is supposed to be freedom. We invest our money, and our obedience to the rules, and in return we're supposed to get a government free from abuse, oppression, and intrusiveness.
As such, I'd say you're right, our ROI has been mighty thin of late.
As such, I'd say you're right, our ROI has been mighty thin of late.
Aug 11, 2014, 9:50 am
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: A3, AA. Plasticy things! That give me, y'know, Stuff!
Posts: 6,293
The return on our 'investment' is supposed to be freedom. We invest our money, and our obedience to the rules, and in return we're supposed to get a government free from abuse, oppression, and intrusiveness.
As such, I'd say you're right, our ROI has been mighty thin of late.
As such, I'd say you're right, our ROI has been mighty thin of late.