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Contractors sought for airport security screening: set-asides possible in airports that opt out of federal program.


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 TSA

See tax-sheltered annuity (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 A blanket order is defined as an order the customer makes with its supplier which contains multiple delivery dates scheduled over a period of time, sometimes at predetermined prices. It is normally used when there is a recurring need for expendable goods.  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 solicitation

In criminal law, the act of asking, inducing, or directing someone to commit a crime. The person soliciting another becomes an accomplice to the crime. The term also refers to the act of obtaining bribes, as well as to the crime of a prostitute who offers sexual
, number HSTS HSTS High-Speed Transport Service 01-04-Q-OPTOUT, is posted at Www.tsa.gov See .gov and GovNet.

(networking) gov - The top-level domain for US government bodies.
 under the hyperlinks "Spotlight Spotlight can refer to at least three types of lighting:
  • a searchlight;
  • stage lighting used in theatre to focus an audience's attention on a performer or event, known as a Followspot;
," then "Screening Partnership Program," then "SPP (1) (Scalable Parallel Processor) A multiprocessing computer that can be upgraded by adding more CPUs.

(2) (Standard Parallel Port) The Centronics parallel port that was used on the first PCs.
 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 9/1 1 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. 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, As a Hutchinson, Homeland Security Noun 1. Homeland Security - the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security
Department of Homeland Security

executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States
 undersecretary for border and transportation security, said, "Professionalism professionalism

the upholding by individuals of the principles, laws, ethics and conventions of their profession.
 and security will remain our top priority and ff 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."
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Publication:Set-Aside Alert
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Nov 19, 2004
Words:442
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