Catapult Consultants Awarded Prime Contract from Transportation Security Administration
McLean, Virginia – Catapult Consultants announced today that it has been awarded a prime contract from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to develop and implement a model for comparing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of federal and private airport security screeners.
“Policymakers need consistent, quality data from which to make critical decisions affecting public policy,” said Catapult Principal Tony Fung. “All of us at Catapult are excited to contribute our financial and project management expertise to the critical issue of airport security and efficiency.”
Catapult Consultants is a minority-owned, 8(a) certified, full-service Financial Management and Information Technology firm based in McLean, Virginia. Its focus is on helping organizations become more influential, efficient, and successful. The firm provides innovative and award-winning solutions to an array of government agencies, nationally-recognized commercial clients, and non-profits with an end goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), which was enacted in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, established TSA and mandated the federalization of security operations at the nation’s commercial airports. However, ATSA also established a pilot screening program at five airports where passenger and baggage screening would be carried out by qualified private companies under contract with TSA. Since November 2004, all commercial airports have been eligible to apply to the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which replaced the pilot program. Nine airports, including the original five pilot airports, currently participate in the SPP.
Seeking to fulfill its responsibility to provide the most efficient means of increasing security and stakeholder satisfaction in the most cost-effective manner, TSA solicited proposals for a business case analysis to assess the cost and performance advantages and disadvantages of using federal versus private airport security screeners.
“There are a lot of factors to be considered in looking at these two models for managing screening services at our nation’s airports,” said Catapult Principal Josh Bogart. “We look forward to providing TSA with an additional tool the agency can use as it continues to explore these issues.”