Transportation Security: TSA Has Made Progress in Implementing the Transportation Worker Identification Credential Program, but Challenges Remain Page: 4 of 22

                                
Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006, directing TSA, among
other things, to implement the TWIC program at the 10 highest risk ports
by July 1, 2007.2 In January 2007, TSA awarded a $70 million contract to
begin enrolling workers and issuing TWIC cards to workers at these
maritime facilities.
My testimony today focuses on two key areas: (1) the progress TSA has
made since September 2006 in implementing the TWIC program and
(2) some of the remaining challenges that TSA and the maritime industry
must overcome to ensure the successful implementation of the TWIC
program. My comments are based primarily on our December 2004 and
September 2006 reports on the TWIC program, which reflect work
conducted at TSA and the Coast Guard, as well as site visits to
transportation facilities that participated in testing the TWIC program.
In addition, in March and April 2007, we interviewed TSA officials and
obtained some supporting documentation regarding the agency's efforts to
implement the TWIC program. We also interviewed officials at port
facilities in California, Delaware, and Florida that participated in TWIC
testing concerning the implementation of the TWIC program. We
conducted our work in accordance with generally accepted government
auditing standards.
Summary                        Since we issued our report on the TWIC program in September 2006,
TSA has made progress toward implementing the TWIC program and
addressing several of the problems that we previously identified regarding
contract oversight and planning and coordination with stakeholders.
Specifically, TSA has:
* issued a TWIC rule that sets forth the requirements for enrolling
workers and issuing TWIC cards to workers in the maritime sector;
* awarded a $70 million contract for enrolling workers in the TWIC
program,
* established a schedule for enrolling workers and issuing TWIC cards at
ports and conducting a pilot program to test TWIC access control
technologies,
* added staff with program and contract management expertise to help
oversee the TWIC enrollment contract, and
2Pub. L. No.109-347,120 Stat.1884,1889 (2006).

GAO-07-681T

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