GAO offers recommendation for TSA training coordination

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) a recommendation to enhance the agency’s security training program coordination efforts.

After conducting a review of the TSA’s approach, the GAO has recommended the TSA Administrator clarify roles and responsibilities for all offices involved in the coordination of surface transportation exercises, including when the offices are to coordinate, as part of the planned revision of the Surface Division’s Internal Operating Procedure for I-STEP.

In the wake of its analysis, the GAO maintained the TSA has not fully identified coordination roles and responsibilities for its training and exercise program for offices outside of Policy, Plans and Engagement (PPE) – the office with primary responsibility for the program.

PPE coordinates with other offices to accomplish the program’s goals, including the Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) office, which provides intelligence briefings lending background context during program exercises.

I&A officials noted that while they have supported exercise planning, there is no formal role for the office in the procedure or expected time frames for providing information and they do not typically participate in the PPE planning meetings because they are not consistently invited to attend.

The GAO said the Department of Homeland Security concurred with the recommendation.