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| Transportation Security
Administration Strategic
Airport Security Rollout |
Project Description
Parsons, the team member with the largest allocated scope from prime contractor Lockheed Martin Mission Systems, was responsible for integrating and implementing the Strategic Airport Security Rollout (SASR) program at 91 Category X, I, II and III airports covering 373 checkpoints and 1,210 passenger screening lanes. In addition, Parsons also managed the integration of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure for 73 Category X and I airports covering 316 checkpoints and 1,098 screening lanes. Parsons was responsible for program management/construction management (PM/CM), project phasing, designs, scheduling, estimating, establishing, and executing contracts with local airport contractors for each assigned airport.
Parsons fielded a nationally dispersed team within one week of authority to proceed (ATP) to perform site preparation assessments. Each team was responsible for determining the facility modifications required to configure passenger screening checkpoints in accordance with evolving TSA standards and detailing these modifications on dimensioned, conceptual drawings reflecting the desired checkpoint configuration. These conceptual drawings were the foundation that the TSA Checkpoint Engineering Team from Pentagon City, Virginia, used to determine the amount of required TSA Screeners and security checkpoint hardware.
Parsons was responsible for all aspects of integration and installation of checkpoint equipment into the existing airport environment while maintaining a safe and secure environment for movement of passengers and baggage, and minimizing disruption of operations for the airport and airlines. Our team members were on site during the formal equipment acceptance testing, conducted by the Government furnished equipment suppliers (GFE), to ensure that the equipment placement and facility modifications were implemented per TSA standards.
The SASR program offered considerable schedule and cost risks to implement 100 percent passenger screening capabilities to meet the strict Federal implementation deadline within allocated contract funding. To mitigate financial risks, Parsons worked with the TSA Checkpoint Engineering Team to develop cost models and estimates to assist TSA in the prioritization of airports for SASR implementations. Based on this information TSA re-allocated appropriated funding to the completion of Category II, III, and IV airports to reach compliance for the December 2002 milestone. Parsons was able to adapt its processes and scope of work resulting in a $25 million dollar savings and subsequent return of funds and scope to the TSA. As a result of this savings, TSA was able to fund 15 Category X and I airports which previously were un-funded.
Parsons was then able to complete checkpoint reconfigurations at 28 airports.
To manage the life-cycle of each implementation, and to provide a roll-up of activities to inform TSA of program progress, the SASR program controls organization used the Primavera P3 Enterprise suite for schedule and resource management in a program schedule that contained over 60,000 elements. The master schedule took into account the individual project requirements for all airports and identified and managed the interdependencies of design production, staff, supply chain capabilities, GFE deliveries, and unique airport scheduling needs. At the peak of the SASR program, the Parsons management team was responsible for deploying and phasing the efforts of nearly 150 staff members. The staffing profile reflected the need to support the simultaneous efforts at 91 airports. Our ability to apply the right skills and the right time directly correlated to our ability to control costs while meeting schedules. These teams managed the movement and integration of hundreds of pieces of security equipment including X-rays, walk-through metal detectors (WTMD), explosive trace detection (ETD) devices, supplemental (shoe) X-ray devices, as well as thousands of pieces of peripheral checkpoint equipment. Under the IT equipment installation task, our integration teams coordinated the procurement and installation of the necessary power and data cable infrastructure for over 200 checkpoints IT equipment cabinet installations. The majority of our demolition, construction, and remodeling efforts were conducted at airport checkpoints that were required to be up and operational during the peak load of passenger travel. We were able to schedule our crews and subcontractors at hours that minimized the impacts to airport operations and TSA screening requirements.
During this large and complex program, our team achieved a safety record where no passengers, screeners, or construction workers were injured during the course of our efforts. We are proud to have managed a program of this complexity that touched so many aspects associated with the flow of passengers without incurring significant delays in construction or upside in costs due to claims from injury.
Parsons authored statements of work (SOW), negotiated, and were accountable for 43 construction subcontractors. Each airport had unique architectural and structural requirements to accommodate the screening checkpoints which required Parsons to secure under contract unique trade expertise.
At Chicago’s O’Hare airport, Parsons contracted with a local architectural consultant and specialty design contractor to build a canopy façade to house the re-positioned closed-circuit television system that was required to match the existing décor of the Northwest Airlines checkpoint 2.
To manage the subcontractors, Parsons provided onsite Construction Managers to ensure that safety measures were in place, oversee warehousing and staging, construction phasing, permitting, implementation in accordance with TSA standards, and punch list items were resolved to the satisfaction of an airport’s engineering organization.
During construction and implementation, Parsons interfaced directly with the TSA Checkpoint Engineering Team, local Federal Security Directors, and the GFE equipment manufacturers to ensure that the implemented configurations were accommodating to optimize the equipments performance. Through research and coordination with the GFE equipment manufacturers, Parsons developed a set of standards that addressed the equipment’s unique physical requirements for floor loads, seismic interference reduction, equipment mounting, environmental, and electrical requirements. Parsons worked directly with InVision, L-3, Heiman, Rapiscan, and CEIA to ensure that our implementations would not interfere with the desired performance of the each respective manufactures equipment.
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