RAND Corporation recently evaluated a terrorism risk modeling tool developed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Boeing to help guide program planning for aviation security; the Risk Management Analysis Tool, or RMAT, simulates terrorist behavior and success in attacking vulnerabilities in the domestic commercial air transportation system, drawing on estimates of terrorist resources, capabilities, preferences, decision processes, intelligence collection, and operational planning. This RAND report can be accessed at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1241.html

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is planning to re-compete a contract to network together its passenger and baggage screening technologies. Under the program, known as the Security Technology Integrated Program (STIP), TSA seeks to connect screening technologies in a single network to centralize data collection and threat response information. These TSA requirements, explained in the body of the newsletter, are challenging, and will be difficult and costly to achieve. The full US Government RFI document can be accessed at:https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c0559c250ada183dc9d948573d3d50c4&tab=core&_cview=1https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c0559c250ada183dc9d948573d3d50c4&tab=core&_cview=1

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of teh US DHS has published a report entitled "Personnel Security and Internal Control at TSA's Legacy Transportation Threar Assessment and Credentialling Office. OIG found that "there has been a pattern of poor managenent proctices and inappropriate use of informal administrative processes to assess and address misconduct".  This OIG Report can be accessed at: http://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/Mgmt/2013/OIG_13-05_Oct12.pdf

The third newsletter  item relates to the on-going debate regarding the TSA’s new PreCheck program, which gives certain frequent fliers 24 hours notice that they will receive expedited security screening at the airport. A RAND Corporation blog article with links to associated materials can be accessed at: http://www.rand.org/blog/2012/12/fake-boarding-pass-fears-inflated.html

The final item in this newsletter is a link to an August 2012 TSA presentation by Susan Tashiro, a deputy assistant administrator at TSA, explaining how TSA is evolving into a high performance counterterrorism organization.  It can be accessed at: http://www.aci-na.org/sites/default/files/susan_tashiro.pdf