Security Policy Alert: Summary of TSA Call on Cleaning Standards, Reimbursement Process
June 10, 2020
Today, TSA held a conference call to review its recently established cleaning standards for TSA areas, such as the checkpoint, checked baggage area and administrative areas, and provide an overview for the reimbursement process for airports or air carriers providing COVID-19 related cleaning services in these areas. TSA will be hosting another call to cover the same information tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. ET. Call-in information is the same as today and can be found at the end of this summary.
Prior to the call, TSA shared its current cleaning standards as well as its reimbursement process.
Following are highlights of the information shared on today's conference call.
- TSA's cleaning standards do not cover cleaning that will be performed by TSA Transportation Security Officers or TSA contractors. Wiping of touchscreens or boarding pass scanners, for example, will be performed by TSOs as they rotate stations.
- Although almost complete, TSA's cleaning standards is a living document and will be updated as needed. For example, TSA is working on plexiglass specifications for the checkpoint and checked baggage areas as well as cleaning standards for the plexiglass.
- In response to a question by AAAE, TSA recognized the investment and effort that airport operators have already pro-actively put forth to install plexiglass in TSA areas. TSA does not want to duplicate efforts or negate investments already made. TSA Security Operations will be conducting a data call to determine locations that already have plexiglass in areas that TSA is interested in installing the barriers, which include the Travel Document Checker, divestiture stations, bag search areas and checked baggage areas. TSA will also be sharing their plexiglass specifications with industry to ensure that existing and future installations meet TSA's health and sanitary standards.
- In response to a question by AAAE on the timeframe for reimbursements, TSA is working with airports on a case-by-case basis but are generally covering COVID-19 related cleaning efforts implemented after the HHS declared national emergency on January 30, 2020. The period of performance can extend as far as December 31, 2020; costs incurred after that time will require an amendment to any existing agreements.
- Reimbursements are limited to TSA controlled space and cover only incremental costs associated with enhanced cleaning related to COVID-19. It is intended to be a 100 percent reimbursement of incremental costs in TSA controlled areas.
- TSA will continue to review reimbursement requests already submitted prior to the release this week of the TSA cleaning standards and formal reimbursement process. TSA has already awarded 11 reimbursement OTAs totaling $1.7 million.
- The reimbursement process references the need for certification of cleaning services and approval or request from the Federal Security Director (FSD). Coordination with the FSD simply entails confirmation that the cleaning services are being performed and certification can entail a signed letter from the airport operator certifying that specified cleaning services are being performed.
- TSA's cleaning standards include external and easily accessible areas of Transportation Security Equipment (TSE), such as AIT. In response to concerns raised on the call, TSA stated that the agency worked closely with TSE manufacturers to ensure external cleaning and cleaning materials would not negatively impact the equipment's performance or warranties. TSA is comfortable with its request for third-party cleaners to clean external and easily accessible areas of TSE and that the risk to equipment is minimal.
- TSA is working with DHS S&T to study the efficacy of electrostatic disinfecting. If an airport or air carriers currently goes "above and beyond" by using electrostatic disinfecting in TSA controlled areas, TSA would likely look to reimburse for those efforts at this time.
- Air carriers are eligible for reimbursement if they are providing COVID-19 related cleaning services in TSA controlled areas. TSA prefers that reimbursement requests cover the entire airport for simplicity and efficiency sake but will review multiple submissions from a single airport if, for example, an air carrier performs cleaning in the checked baggage area and an airport operator performs cleaning at the checkpoint.
- CARES Act funding provided $54 million for cleaning and sanitization reimbursement. TSA's Chief Financial Officer reported today that the amount requested was derived from early cost figures at a single airport and submitted along with other funding priorities, such as PPE for TSOs and explosive detection supplies. In response to a question from AAAE, TSA is optimistic that additional funding will be provided to support a continued disciplined approach to COVID-19 related cleaning.
Date: June 11
Time: 2:00 PM EST - 3:30 PM EST
Dial In: 1 800 857 9816
Participant Code: 5454478
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need any additional information prior to Thursday's call.
