Homeland Security: DHS and TSA Continue to Face Challenges Developing and Acquiring Screening Technologies

Abstract

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 TSAs efforts to implement GAOs 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.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 08, 2013
Accession Number
AD1179287

Entities

People

  • Carissa Bryant
  • Dave Bruno
  • Emily Gunn
  • Stephen M. Lord
  • Susan Czacho
  • Tom Lombardi

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter IED
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Acquisition
  • Automated Target Recognition
  • Best Practices
  • Business Administration
  • Cost Estimates
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Explosives
  • Explosives Detection
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Life Cycle Costs
  • Life Cycles
  • National Governments
  • Procurement
  • Security
  • Target Recognition
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Software Engineering