The Transportation Security Administration has announced that
it will start accepting applications from commercial airports
that want to hire security screeners from private companies
that would be subject to government oversight and required
to meet certain standards.
Authorized under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act,
the screening partnership program requires selected companies
to give current federal screeners preference in hiring and to
provide them with at least the same level of benefits and
compensation, according to TSA.
Five airports have participated in a pilot program since TSA
was founded, and the agency maintains that there is little
difference in performance and cost between private and
federal screening workforces.
TSA said it would solicit proposals from qualified companies
and evaluate them on business management, technical merit,
past performance and cost, and that federal security
directors and their staffs would remain responsible for
airport security.
Contracts “would be handled like any other TSA contract, with
modifications made when warranted by changing conditions,”
said TSA, adding that airports new the program would not be
expected to transition before May 2005.
