Date: December 9, 2009



To: All TSA Employees



From: Gale Rossides

Acting Administrator

Subject: 100 - Message from Acting Administrator Gale Rossides About the Posting of an Improperly Redacted Version of the Screening Management SOP



Last Sunday, our Blog Team was notified that an improperly redacted version of a 2008 Screening Management SOP was posted by TSA to the Federal Business Opportunities Web site as part of an attachment to a contract solicitation. ‪

This is a very serious matter, and the Senior Leadership Team immediately worked to get the document taken down from the Web site Sunday night.


The Screening Management SOP is not the SOP used by Transportation Security Officers at airport checkpoints to screen members of the traveling public. In general, it provides instructions on management of the checkpoint, who and what needs to be screened, and exceptions to the screening process.


We’ve already taken additional steps to prevent any attempts to use information from this document to elude airport security. Thorough post-incident analysis has determined that our systems are secure and that screening protocols have not been compromised and remain strong.

I take this matter very seriously, and I immediately asked for a full review by the TSA Office of Inspection. The review is underway, and at this time, five employees have been put on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the review.


This mistake, made by a few, damages the credibility of us all. Protecting sensitive information is critical to our mission, and I am relying on each and every one of you to exercise the utmost care when securing and using it.


We are confident our security is still strong, and the strongest element of our security is our people. I ask that you stay focused, watch for anomalies, and remain engaged.


Thank you for your service to our country and your support of one another.