Homeland Security: DHS and TSA Continue to Face Challenges Developing and Acquiring Screening Technologies Page: 9 of 21
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needs. 14 DHS acquisition oversight officials agreed that changing key
requirements is not a best practice for system acquisitions already under
way. As a result, we found that TSA procured and deployed a technology
that met evolving requirements, but not the initial requirements included in
its key acquisition requirements document that the agency initially
determined were necessary to enhance aviation security. We
recommended that TSA develop a road map that specifies development
milestones for AIT and have DHS acquisition officials approve the road
map. DHS agreed with our recommendation and has taken actions to
address it, which we discuss below.
EDS. In July 2011, we found that TSA revised its EDS requirements to
better address current threats, and had plans to implement these
requirements in a phased approach.15 However, we found that some
number of EDS machines in TSA's checked baggage screening fleet
were configured to detect explosives at the levels established in 2005 and
that the remaining EDS machines are configured to detect explosives at
levels established in 1998.16 When TSA established the 2005
requirements, it did not have a plan with the appropriate time frames
needed to deploy EDS machines that meet the requirements. To help
ensure that TSA's checked baggage-screening machines are operating
most effectively, we recommended that TSA develop a plan to deploy
EDSs that meet the most recent explosive detection requirements
established in 2010 and ensure that new machines, as well as machines
already deployed in airports, will be operated at the levels established in
those requirements. DHS concurred with our recommendation and has
begun taking action to address it. Specifically, in April 2012, TSA reported
that it had awarded contracts to vendors to implement detection upgrades
across the currently deployed EDS fleet to meet the 2010 requirements.
In March 2013, TSA reported that it plans to complete upgrading the
currently deployed fleet by the end of fiscal year 2013. However, our
14GAO, Defense Acquisitions: Managing Risk to Achieve Better Outcomes, GAO-10-374T
(Washington, D.C.: Jan. 20, 2010).
15GAO, Aviation Security: TSA Has Enhanced Its Explosives Detection Requirements for
Checked Baggage, but Additional Screening Actions Are Needed, GAO-11-740
(Washington, D.C.: Jul. 11, 2011).
16Details on the number of EDS machines were omitted because TSA deemed them
Sensitive Security Information, which must be protected from public disclosure pursuant to
49 C.F.R. part 1520.GAO-13-469T
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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/m1/9/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.