Air cargo screening technology qualification program: Process and development of Qualified Screening Technology List

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 crystallized public awareness and concern over issues of aviation security. As the nation has brought greater levels of inspection and other security measures to bear on passengers and baggage, concerns have mounted that air cargo will become vulnerable to delivering explosive threats to aircraft. In the “9/11” bill, Congress mandated TSA to screen 50% of air cargo on passenger-carrying aircraft by February 2009 and 100% by August 2010. In response, the TSA Air Cargo program accelerated the assessment and qualification of three technologies used to screen one-hundred percent of air cargo, to meet the congressional mandate. A rigorous qualification process to qualify the screening technologies based on performance based specifications testing in laboratory and operational environments will be described in the paper. This process included vendor submission of white papers, evaluation of white papers, and review of qualification data packages, performance testing to specifications, and qualifying vendor security technology products based on tested results. This rigorous process has resulted in qualifying multiple screening technology products - X-rays, Explosive Trace Detectors and Electromagnetic Metal Detectors from multiple security technology vendors. These qualified products have been codified into an Air Cargo Security Technology List and TSA has mandated its use in screening one-hundred percent of air cargo in passenger aircraft for explosive detection on all flights in United States. This process has been used in multiple qualifying windows and is an ongoing program entering into its third year. The paper will outline the eight process steps in the screening technology qualification process: White Paper Submission (Step 1); White Paper Assessment (Step 2); Industry Day (Step 3); Qualification Data Packet Submission (Step 4); Qualification Data Package (QDP). (Step 5); Logistical Coordination and System Bailment (Step 6) Qualification Testing (Step 7) Test Report Review (Step 8): Once a device completes qualification testing, the TSA convenes a Technical Review Panel (TRP) to analyze the test results. Based on the technical review panel's analysis, the TSA will assign either a qualified or not qualified status to each device. For devices which are qualified, the TSA will notify the manufacturer of the status, and place the device on the Qualified Technology List (QTL) for potential purchase by air cargo regulated parties. For devices which are not qualified, the TSA will notify the manufacturer of the status and provide reasons for the not meeting qualification requirements. Manufacturers who wish to resubmit their devices for another qualification attempt must wait until the next open qualification group iteration and re-enter the qualification process. The rigorous qualification involved internal and external stakeholders within DHS, and security technology vendors using federal acquisition regulations (FAR). The lessons learned from the completed qualification windows have been incorporated to improve the qualification process and update specific technology performance specifications used in qualifications testing. Currently, all screening technologies required to be used to meet air cargo regulatory requirements, are the products that are in TSA approved Qualified Screening Technology List.