The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has awarded Reveal Imaging Technologies a $47 million contract for Explosives Detection Systems (EDS) and OSI Systems‘ [OSIS] Rapiscan division a $3 million contract for checkpoint X-Ray systems, marking the agencies first use of the $1 billion it has to spend under the American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Reveal’s award is for 123 reduced size EDS under an existing contract it has with TSA. The reduced sized EDS are typically used at small and medium size airports in the U.S and can be deployed in lobbies or similar to inline configurations as part of the baggage handling system. Rapiscan’s award is for 44 620DV Advanced Technology (AT) X-Ray systems. Rapiscan competes with Smiths Detection to supply the AT X-Ray systems to TSA but Smiths’ machines are built in Europe and the “Buy American” provisions of ARRA preclude the company from receiving the economic stimulus funds. TSA tells TR2 that they don’t have a delivery schedule or list of airports the systems will be deployed to. The reduced size EDS are in use at more than 200 airports nationwide and TSA has deployed about 770 of the AT X-Ray systems. Of the $1 billion ARRA funds appropriated for TSA, $700 million is dedicated to screening checked bags–including construction costs–and $300 million for checkpoint screening.
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