TSA Actions and Plans to Implement Selected Results-Oriented Practices

Within its first year of existence, TSA has made an impressive start in  implementing practices that can create a results-oriented organizational  culture and help TSA as it begins to take responsibility for the security of  the maritime and surface modes of transportation. ATSA required TSA to issue specific reports to the Congress on its activities  and progress in establishing and meeting its goals. Concluding Observations

Never has a results-oriented focus been more critical than today, when the  security of America’s citizens depends so directly and immediately on the  results of many federal programs. TSA has faced immense challenges in its  first year of existence to build the infrastructure of a large organization and  meet mandated deadlines to federalize aviation security. As TSA begins to  take responsibility for security in the maritime and surface modes of  transportation, its current and future challenge is to build, sustain, and  institutionalize the organizational capacity to help it achieve its current and  future goals. As TSA moves into the newly created DHS, TSA has an  opportunity to continue to foster a results-oriented culture.
Why GAO Did This Study

Never has a results-oriented focus been more critical than today, when the security of America's citizens depends on the outcomes of many federal programs. In response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Congress passed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) that created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and made it responsible for transportation security. ATSA requires TSA to implement specific practices that are intended to make it a results-oriented organization.

What GAO Found

In its first year, TSA has simultaneously started to build the infrastructure of a large organization as it focused primarily on meeting its aviation security deadlines. As TSA begins to take responsibility for security in the maritime and surface modes of transportation, its current and future challenge is to continue to build, sustain, and institutionalize the organizational capacity to help it achieve its current and future goals. In this regard, TSA has made an impressive start in implementing practices that can create a results-oriented culture. These practices--leadership commitment, strategic planning, performance management, collaboration and communication, and public reporting and customer service--are shown below. Such practices are especially important when TSA moves into the newly created Department of Homeland Security.