Homeland Security: DHS and TSA Continue to Face Challenges Developing and Acquiring Screening Technologies Page: 2 of 21
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GAO HOMELAND SECURITY
Accountability * Integrity * Reliability
* * DHS and TSA Continue to Face Challenges
H highlights Developing and Acquiring Screening Technologies
Highlights of GAO-13-469T, a testimony
before the Subcommittee on Transportation
Security, Committee on Homeland Security,
House of RepresentativesWhy GAO Did This Study
TSA acquisition programs represent
billions of dollars in life cycle costs and
support a range of aviation security
programs, including technologies used
to screen passengers and checked
baggage. Within DHS, TSA is
responsible for establishing
requirements for testing and deploying
transportation system technologies.
Since 2010, GAO has reported that
DHS and TSA faced challenges in
managing acquisition efforts, including
deploying technologies that did not
meet requirements and were not
appropriately tested and evaluated.
As requested, this testimony discusses
(1) the extent to which TSA addressed
challenges relating to developing and
meeting program requirements, testing
new screening technologies, and
delivering capabilities within cost and
schedule estimates for selected
programs, and (2) DHS efforts to
strengthen oversight of component
acquisition processes. This testimony
is based on GAO products issued from
January 2010 through January 2013,
including selected updates conducted
in March 2013 on TSA's efforts to
implement GAO's prior
recommendations and preliminary
observations from ongoing work. To
conduct the updates and ongoing
work, GAO analyzed documents, such
as the AIT road map, and interviewed
TSA officials.
What GAO Recommends
GAO has made recommendations to
DHS and TSA in prior reports to help
strengthen its acquisition processes
and oversight. DHS and TSA generally
concurred and are taking actions to
address them.
View GAO-13-469T. For more information,
contact Steve Lord at (202) 512-4379 or
lords@gao.gov.What GAO Found
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has taken and is taking steps
to address challenges related to developing, testing, and delivering screening
technologies for selected aviation security programs, but challenges remain. For
example, in January 2012, GAO reported that TSA faced challenges developing
and meeting key performance requirements for the acquisition of advanced
imaging technology (AIT)-i.e., full-body scanners. Specifically, GAO found that
TSA did not fully follow Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acquisition
policies when acquiring AIT, which resulted in DHS approving nationwide AIT
deployment without full knowledge of TSA's revised specifications. DHS required
TSA to notify DHS's Acquisition Review Board (ARB) if AIT could not meet any of
TSA's five key performance parameters or if TSA changed a key performance
parameter during testing. However, GAO found that the ARB approved TSA for
full-scale production without reviewing the changed parameter. DHS officials said
that the ARB should have formally reviewed this change to ensure that TSA did
not change it arbitrarily. GAO recommended that TSA develop a road map that
outlines vendors' progress in meeting all key performance parameters. DHS
agreed, and developed a road map to address the recommendation, but faces
challenges implementing it-e.g., due to vendor delays. Additionally, in January
2013, GAO reported that TSA faced challenges related to testing and deploying
passenger screening canine teams. Specifically, GAO concluded that TSA began
deploying these canine teams to airport terminals in April 2011 prior to
determining the canine teams' operational effectiveness. In June 2012, DHS and
TSA began conducting operational assessments to help demonstrate canine
teams' effectiveness. Also, TSA began deploying teams before it had completed
an assessment to determine where within the airport the canine teams would be
most effectively utilized. GAO recommended that on the basis of DHS
assessment results, TSA expand and complete testing to assess the
effectiveness of canine teams in areas of the airport deemed appropriate. DHS
agreed and officials said that as of April 2013, TSA had concluded testing in
collaboration with DHS of canine teams in airport sterile areas-in general, areas
of an airport for which access is controlled through screening of persons and
property-and is testing teams on its own in airport sterile and public areas.
DHS has some efforts under way to strengthen its oversight of component
investment and acquisition processes, but additional actions are needed. In
September 2012, GAO reported that while DHS had initiated efforts to address
the department's acquisition management challenges, most of DHS's major
acquisition programs continue to cost more than expected, take longer to deploy
than planned, or deliver less capability than promised. GAO identified 42 DHS
programs that experienced cost growth, schedule slips, or both, with 16 of the
programs' costs increasing from a total of $19.7 billion in 2008 to $52.2 billion in
2011-an aggregate increase of 166 percent. GAO concluded that DHS
recognized the need to implement its acquisition policy more consistently, but
that significant work remained. GAO recommended that DHS modify acquisition
policy to better reflect key program and portfolio management practices and
ensure acquisition programs fully comply with DHS acquisition policy. DHS
agreed, and in September 2012 officials stated that it was in the process of
revising its policy to more fully reflect key program management practices.United States Government Accountability Office
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United States. Government Accountability Office. Homeland Security: DHS and TSA Continue to Face Challenges Developing and Acquiring Screening Technologies, text, May 8, 2013; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc302906/m1/2/?q=technical+manual: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.