The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has selected Battelle and TASC Inc., to compete for task orders under a potential five-year, $350 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to provide test and evaluation (T&E) support services.
TASC has won an initial six-month, $4.1 million task order to provide T&E services under the Test Evaluation Support Services (TESS) contract. Part of the task order involves providing support to TSA’s Transportation Systems Integration Facility (TSIF) at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.
The TESS contract consolidates separate contracts that both companies already had with TSA.
Battelle’s legacy work here with TSA has been to provide acceptance testing for equipment that the agency purchases and installs at the nation’s airports. That work typically involves making sure the security equipment works to the agency’s specifications at each airport and also that the overall processes remain secure, which means making sure that checked baggage moves securely from the ticket counter, through the baggage handling and screening systems all the way to the plane, Chris McKay, Battelle’s lead manager on its TESS proposal, told sister publication TR2.
Battelle also performs technical testing for TSA at the agency’s TSIF. This includes managing and performing testing on site.
TASC has been the incumbent with TSA on its operational test and evaluation work. TASC is a former business unit of Northrop Grumman [NOC].
The TESS award expands the T&E support the contractors will provide to other transportation modes beyond aviation.