Security Policy Alert: Summary of TSA's Monthly Conference Call for Airport Stakeholders
August 6, 2020
This afternoon, TSA held its monthly conference call for airport stakeholders. The conference call was led by Alan Paterno, TSA's Airport Industry Engagement Manager in the office of Policy, Plans and Engagement (PPE).
Following are highlights from today's call:
Virtual San Diego Multimodal Cybersecurity Workshop
TSA's Intermodal Security Training and Exercise Program (I-STEP) is sponsoring a San Diego Multimodal Cybersecurity Workshop on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, which will be conducted virtually over WebEx. Participants will include aviation and surface transportation partners who conduct operations at San Diego International Airport and the surrounding areas, and will focus on cybersecurity resources and policies, improving incident detection, reporting, response, and recovery.
Over the course of this workshop, participants will receive briefings on cybersecurity frameworks, federal cybersecurity resources and initiatives, federal and local incident reporting procedures, and transportation partners' cybersecurity experiences and best practices. There will also be a cybersecurity focused intelligence briefing and presentations from local law enforcement in the San Diego area.
Airports and airport stakeholders are invited to join. Following are the workshop details and a link for registration:
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM PDT (12:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT)
Location: Virtual (WebEx)
Registration Link: https://exis.tsa.dhs.gov/ep.aspx?SanDiegoVirtualCyberWS
If you have any questions or need any additional information about the workshop, you can contact Michael Jacobs at michael.jacobs@tsa.dhs.gov.
Compliance Update
Craig Lyons, Executive Director for Global Compliance, introduced the newly named Deputy Executive Director for Global Compliance Jimmy Lambropoulos. Lambropoulos had previously served as the TSA representative in London, England for the last five years.
Lyons also mentioned the upcoming Outcome Focused Compliance (OFC) Action Plan Program review scheduled for August 27 between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. ET. This will be the second of three reviews of the OFC Action Plan Program and will be conducted virtually.
Airport operators are invited to participate in the program review. AAAE will be participating as well. If you are interested in participating, please contact AAAE's Colleen Chamberlain no later than August 16 so she can provide your contact information to TSA.
The proposed program review agenda includes an overview of the Action Plan Program, review of metrics and results, and a discussion of possible changes, areas of improvement, and areas to better focus efforts.
Safe Skies Update
Jessica Grizzle from Safe Skies provided the following update:
Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs Update
TSA has recently noticed several instances of invalid enrollments and data entry errors occurring during the enrollment process for aviation workers. Data entry errors can trigger a flag on an applicant's enrollment application, potentially resulting in undue delays or rejections in the STA process.
The agency has also seen instances involving name changes or updates resulting in invalid enrollments. As a result, TSA's Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs will be sending out a bulletin on identity verification and best practices to ensure data integrity that support a streamlined process for applications.
When adjudicating cases, the TSA relies on many different data sources. At times, the data that is available to TSA does not match the data entered or updated on the applicant's record, which can result in differences between the data in the TSA and Designated Aviation Channeler (DAC) systems. The TSA bulletin will provide best practices and identity verification support to help alleviate these errors.
TSA once again encouraged airports to enroll in the Rap Back program prior to the program being mandatory, which is expected later this year. TSA stands ready to support airports' participation in Rap Back and encouraged airports to contact their DAC and the TSA team at rapback@tsa.dhs.gov.
One Stop Security
In 2018, DHS and the United Kingdom Home Office created a working group known as the Trans-Atlantic Industry Roundtable (TAIR) which is made up of U.S. and UK government and industry partners, including airports, air carriers, DHS, TSA, CBP, UK Home Office and UK Department of Transportation.
One Stop Security allows for the exemption of re-screening transfer passengers and their belongings (to include accessible property and checked baggage depending on the arrangement between participating countries) at a connecting location. The One Stop Security initiative is made possible when two countries agree, based on a validation process between countries, that their aviation security standards are equivalent.
Under TAIR, TSA is conducting a pilot program for One Stop Security between the U.S. and U.K., specifically at Atlanta Jackson Hartsfield International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the U.S. and London Heathrow Airport in the U.K. The participating airports were selected based on several factors, including staff screening measures, existing CBP federal inspection services (FIS) infrastructure, and geographic/regional distribution of airport locations.
The U.S. and UK developed a roadmap with a timeline for the pilot that identifies key phases of implementation. Phase I includes one stop security measures for flights from the U.S. through the U.K. and was scheduled for the end of 2020, which will likely be delayed due to COVID-19 impact. Phase II includes One Stop Security operations from the UK through the United States by the end of 2021. However, this phase would require legislative changes to enable this particular phase/route of the One Stop Security pilot. TSA has provided draft One Stop Security pilot legislation to Congress which would allow for screening to be conducted at the originating foreign location, eliminating the need for rescreening by a federal screener at the transfer location (as required under 49 USC 44901(a)). The draft legislation also allows for up to 10 pilot locations.
In the meantime, as part of Phase I, TSA is currently sharing information with the UK, including pertinent sections of ATL and DFW's airport security programs and TSA domestic security measures. After a side-by-side analysis of both countries' security measures, the U.S. will conduct a site visit to London Heathrow Airport as part of the verification process. This has obviously been delayed by COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
COVID-19 Enhanced Cleaning Airport Reimbursement Program
Melissa Conley from TSA's Office of Requirements and Capabilities Analysis reminded airports that TSA received approximately $54 million in CARES Act funding for the cleaning and sanitization of TSA checkpoints and checked baggage areas. TSA created a reimbursement process for airports and air carriers to allow existing cleaning contracts to be updated to include enhanced COVID-19 related cleaning measures (rather than TSA entering into their own cleaning contracts). There has not been as much airport participation in the reimbursement program as TSA anticipated. ATL recently submitted the first reimbursement package that meets TSA's new cleaning standards for the TSA controlled areas. As a result, TSA has distributed to Federal Security Directors and will be posting on the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) several documents related to the reimbursement process, including the steps needs to request reimbursement, a frequently asked questions document, and a checklist for TSA cleaning requirements.
Next TSA Conference Call
The next TSA conference call for airport stakeholders is scheduled for Thursday, September 3 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
This afternoon, TSA held its monthly conference call for airport stakeholders. The conference call was led by Alan Paterno, TSA's Airport Industry Engagement Manager in the office of Policy, Plans and Engagement (PPE).
Following are highlights from today's call:
Virtual San Diego Multimodal Cybersecurity Workshop
TSA's Intermodal Security Training and Exercise Program (I-STEP) is sponsoring a San Diego Multimodal Cybersecurity Workshop on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, which will be conducted virtually over WebEx. Participants will include aviation and surface transportation partners who conduct operations at San Diego International Airport and the surrounding areas, and will focus on cybersecurity resources and policies, improving incident detection, reporting, response, and recovery.
Over the course of this workshop, participants will receive briefings on cybersecurity frameworks, federal cybersecurity resources and initiatives, federal and local incident reporting procedures, and transportation partners' cybersecurity experiences and best practices. There will also be a cybersecurity focused intelligence briefing and presentations from local law enforcement in the San Diego area.
Airports and airport stakeholders are invited to join. Following are the workshop details and a link for registration:
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM PDT (12:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT)
Location: Virtual (WebEx)
Registration Link: https://exis.tsa.dhs.gov/ep.aspx?SanDiegoVirtualCyberWS
If you have any questions or need any additional information about the workshop, you can contact Michael Jacobs at michael.jacobs@tsa.dhs.gov.
Compliance Update
Craig Lyons, Executive Director for Global Compliance, introduced the newly named Deputy Executive Director for Global Compliance Jimmy Lambropoulos. Lambropoulos had previously served as the TSA representative in London, England for the last five years.
Lyons also mentioned the upcoming Outcome Focused Compliance (OFC) Action Plan Program review scheduled for August 27 between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. ET. This will be the second of three reviews of the OFC Action Plan Program and will be conducted virtually.
Airport operators are invited to participate in the program review. AAAE will be participating as well. If you are interested in participating, please contact AAAE's Colleen Chamberlain no later than August 16 so she can provide your contact information to TSA.
The proposed program review agenda includes an overview of the Action Plan Program, review of metrics and results, and a discussion of possible changes, areas of improvement, and areas to better focus efforts.
Safe Skies Update
Jessica Grizzle from Safe Skies provided the following update:
- Outreach and data collection is currently underway for several Program for Applied Research in Airport Security (PARAS) projects and airports may hear from the selected contractors and their teams regarding the following:
- PARAS 0030 Guidance for Access Control System Transitions (LAM LHA)
- PARAS 0031 Airport Response to UAS Threats (Woolpert)
- PARAS 0033 Mental Health and Airport Security (Salus Solutions)
- PARAS 0035 Synthesis of Escort Privileges and Escorting Practices (QuinnWilliams)
- PARAS 018 Airport Security Training for Law Enforcement and Security Personnel is available for download at https://www.sskies.org/paras/reports/. The document is a comprehensive training resource to assist trainers in developing curriculum specific to their needs. Master curriculum content provides overall context for the airport environment and highlights connections between regulatory requirements and job duties.
- As reported last month, PARAS 0016 Airports Security Vulnerability Assessments is also available for download at https://www.sskies.org/paras/reports/ and contains detailed guidance to assist airports in conducting quantitative and qualitative SVAs and evaluating the results. An Excel tool to assist with quantitative SVAs is available upon request to jessica.grizzle@sskies.org. Please note small, medium, or large hub in your request.
- Safe Skies is currently accepting Problem Statements for FY 2021 PARAS projects. Problem Statements form the basis of all PARAS projects and are descriptions of security problems or questions for which airports needs an answer. Please contact jessica.grizzle@sskies.org for submission guidance. Submissions are due September 1. Grizzle also encouraged airports to contact her to discuss any potential ideas or questions that may lead to a problem statement. She is happy to help form a problem statement based on such conversations.
Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs Update
TSA has recently noticed several instances of invalid enrollments and data entry errors occurring during the enrollment process for aviation workers. Data entry errors can trigger a flag on an applicant's enrollment application, potentially resulting in undue delays or rejections in the STA process.
The agency has also seen instances involving name changes or updates resulting in invalid enrollments. As a result, TSA's Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs will be sending out a bulletin on identity verification and best practices to ensure data integrity that support a streamlined process for applications.
When adjudicating cases, the TSA relies on many different data sources. At times, the data that is available to TSA does not match the data entered or updated on the applicant's record, which can result in differences between the data in the TSA and Designated Aviation Channeler (DAC) systems. The TSA bulletin will provide best practices and identity verification support to help alleviate these errors.
TSA once again encouraged airports to enroll in the Rap Back program prior to the program being mandatory, which is expected later this year. TSA stands ready to support airports' participation in Rap Back and encouraged airports to contact their DAC and the TSA team at rapback@tsa.dhs.gov.
One Stop Security
In 2018, DHS and the United Kingdom Home Office created a working group known as the Trans-Atlantic Industry Roundtable (TAIR) which is made up of U.S. and UK government and industry partners, including airports, air carriers, DHS, TSA, CBP, UK Home Office and UK Department of Transportation.
One Stop Security allows for the exemption of re-screening transfer passengers and their belongings (to include accessible property and checked baggage depending on the arrangement between participating countries) at a connecting location. The One Stop Security initiative is made possible when two countries agree, based on a validation process between countries, that their aviation security standards are equivalent.
Under TAIR, TSA is conducting a pilot program for One Stop Security between the U.S. and U.K., specifically at Atlanta Jackson Hartsfield International Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the U.S. and London Heathrow Airport in the U.K. The participating airports were selected based on several factors, including staff screening measures, existing CBP federal inspection services (FIS) infrastructure, and geographic/regional distribution of airport locations.
The U.S. and UK developed a roadmap with a timeline for the pilot that identifies key phases of implementation. Phase I includes one stop security measures for flights from the U.S. through the U.K. and was scheduled for the end of 2020, which will likely be delayed due to COVID-19 impact. Phase II includes One Stop Security operations from the UK through the United States by the end of 2021. However, this phase would require legislative changes to enable this particular phase/route of the One Stop Security pilot. TSA has provided draft One Stop Security pilot legislation to Congress which would allow for screening to be conducted at the originating foreign location, eliminating the need for rescreening by a federal screener at the transfer location (as required under 49 USC 44901(a)). The draft legislation also allows for up to 10 pilot locations.
In the meantime, as part of Phase I, TSA is currently sharing information with the UK, including pertinent sections of ATL and DFW's airport security programs and TSA domestic security measures. After a side-by-side analysis of both countries' security measures, the U.S. will conduct a site visit to London Heathrow Airport as part of the verification process. This has obviously been delayed by COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
COVID-19 Enhanced Cleaning Airport Reimbursement Program
Melissa Conley from TSA's Office of Requirements and Capabilities Analysis reminded airports that TSA received approximately $54 million in CARES Act funding for the cleaning and sanitization of TSA checkpoints and checked baggage areas. TSA created a reimbursement process for airports and air carriers to allow existing cleaning contracts to be updated to include enhanced COVID-19 related cleaning measures (rather than TSA entering into their own cleaning contracts). There has not been as much airport participation in the reimbursement program as TSA anticipated. ATL recently submitted the first reimbursement package that meets TSA's new cleaning standards for the TSA controlled areas. As a result, TSA has distributed to Federal Security Directors and will be posting on the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) several documents related to the reimbursement process, including the steps needs to request reimbursement, a frequently asked questions document, and a checklist for TSA cleaning requirements.
Next TSA Conference Call
The next TSA conference call for airport stakeholders is scheduled for Thursday, September 3 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
