TSA to outsource its screener training program
 

http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/featu...lysis/543.html

TSA to outsource its screener training program
By Jacob Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief
Published March 4th, 2008

TSA wants to find a training company that can help manage its "Specialized Security Training" program, which educates its workforce of more than 45,000 airport screeners, including 9,000 to 12,000 new employees who come aboard each year.

The program offers "Basic Screener Training" (which includes 40 hours of classroom instruction plus 60 hours of on-the-job training) and "On Screen Alarm Resolution Protocol" training (which teaches a TSA employee to assess the validity of an alarm triggered automatically by an explosive detection system.) "A well-trained operator can quickly determine if the object or objects that caused a machine alarm are threatening or non-threatening often without performing invasive and time-consuming Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) sampling or physical searches," explained a TSA statement of objectives released March 3.

The Specialized Security Training (SST) program, which is run by TSA’s office of operation and technical training, is looking for a contractor with wide-ranging capabilities.

"Specifically, the SST program develops curricula; develops training tools and materials; plans and schedules training courses; provides logistics and other operational support for training initiatives and workshops; delivers training through classroom and on-line channels; tests trainees for learning and proficiency; and evaluates the training provided," said the TSA document.

Since its inception in 2002, TSA has relied on a combination of outside contractors and in-house personnel to conduct its extensive training programs.

In its draft RFP issued March 3, TSA said it intends to issue a task order to one company for a one-year base contract (plus four one-year options) to analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate and maintain the agency’s huge training program.

An industry day will be held for prospective vendors on April 9, at a time and location to be announced. The final RFP is expected to be released on or about April 22 and TSA anticipates making a single award in late September.

Interested candidates can contact Robyn King, TSA contract specialist, at [email protected].

:eek: Wow, that's between a 20 to 27 % turnover rate per year!!! :eek:

Yup. Been that way for at least a year or two now. They're forcing screeners, even part-timers, to do split-shifts. Great way to retain staff, huh?

IMHO, this whole outsourcing things is a small sign that things are VERY slowly crumbling at the TSA.

No sign at all. A HUGE portion of the agency is already outsourced - to the point that I suspect that part of the bureaucratic inertia against change is coming from contractors that don't want their contracts cut....

I have a feeling that our newest TSA member (TSAHQGuy) is one of those infamous bureaucratic outsourcers...he mentions having a TS/SCI, and his badge having three stars on it - I would not be surprised to find out he is actually a Northrop Grumman employee (they use the stars on their badges to indicate clearance level, 3 stars happens to be TS).