TSA to extend commercial contract to continue testing its 45,000 screeners

TSA has decided that in order for it to continue its current personnel testing program for its 45,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) as well as other agency employees, it will extend its existing assessment contract with Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, Inc., of Minneapolis, MN, by a minimum of one year and perhaps as long as three years.

In a recently published “limited sources justification” announcement, TSA explained that it needs more time to transition the Employee Assessment Management System (EAMS), which is currently being offered by Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, to a newly-established DHS enterprise solution, in order to be able to certify each year that about 45,000 TSOs are technically proficient and capable of performing their screening functions to prevent security vulnerabilities.

TSA said it expects to launch its own Enterprise Talent Management (ETM) System in the fall of 2013. However, for the moment, it needs to stick with its incumbent vendor. “An extension of the contract with PDRI is necessary until the online and offline solutions, and help desk functionality are ready, tested, and working properly,” says the TSA notice.

EAMS is used by PDRI to create and revise written assessments of TSA employees, to analyze test results, and to generate reports.

TSA says the one-year base contract extension for PDRI will be worth nearly $639,000, and each of four separate six-month options would be valued at more than $329,000 to the same vendor.

“The critical need for continuity of services is to ensure the continued EAMS program testing of the TSO workforce and other TSA employees,” explains to notice. “”The continued services would also avoid the interruption of testing for the Officers. Any deviation would impact operations at the 450 airports that are required to certify/re-certify annually the 45,000 Officers in order to meet their certification requirements necessary to maintain their jobs.”

“Founded in 1975, PDRI, an SHL company, has built a global reputation of excellence by designing, developing and implementing human capital and training solutions that incorporate the most recent advances in the behavioral sciences and adhere to the highest principles of professional practice,” says the company’s own Website. “PDRI’s PerformanceFIT suite of integrated talent management solutions helps government and commercial clients hire, train, develop, manage and motivate high-performance organizations.”

The contract extension is being awarded by TSA’s office of human capital.

Further information is available from Victor Carden, a TSA contract specialist, at 571-227-4834 or Victor.Carden@dhs.gov.