DHS Is in the Early Stages of Testing Technologies to Screen and Secure Air Cargo

DHS has taken some steps to develop and test technologies for screening  and securing air cargo, but has not yet completed assessments of the  technologies TSA plans to approve for use as part of the CCSP. Although TSA is moving forward with its plans to implement a system to  screen 100 percent of cargo transported on passenger aircraft, the agency  has not completed all of its assessments of air cargo screening  technologies. GAO will likely  review this issue as part of our planned review of TSA’s efforts to meet the  requirement to screen 100 percent of cargo transported on passenger  aircraft. According to TSA officials, the federal government and the air cargo  industry face several challenges that must be overcome to effectively  implement any of these technologies to screen or secure cargo. TSA Plans to Revise and Eliminate Screening Exemptions for Some Categories of Air Cargo, but Has Not Completed Air Cargo Vulnerability Assessments to Inform Its Efforts

TSA plans to revise and eliminate current exemptions for some categories  of cargo, thereby reducing the percentage of cargo transported on  passenger aircraft that is subject to alternative methods of screening. TSA Has Taken Actions to Strengthen Air Cargo Compliance Inspections, but More Resources May Be Needed to Ensure CCSP Participants Are Meeting TSA Screening Requirements

To ensure that existing air cargo security requirements are being  implemented as required, TSA inspects air carriers and freight forwarders  that transport cargo. These compliance inspections range from an annual comprehensive  review of the implementation of all air cargo security requirements to a  more frequent review of at least one security requirement by an air carrier  or freight forwarder. In October 2005, we reported that TSA had  conducted compliance inspections on less than half (49 percent) of the  estimated 10,000 freight forwarder facilities nationwide, and of those  freight forwarders they had inspected, the agency found violations in over  40 percent of them. We also reported that TSA had not determined what  constitutes an acceptable level of performance related to compliance  inspections, or compared air carriers’ and freight forwarders’ performance  against this standard; analyzed the results of inspections to systematically  target future inspections on those entities that pose a higher security risk  to the domestic air cargo system; or assessed the effectiveness of its  enforcement actions taken against air carriers and freight forwarders to  ensure that they are complying with air cargo security requirements. However, in recent discussions with  TSA officials regarding their plans to implement the CCSP, they stated that  there may not be enough compliance inspectors to conduct compliance  inspections of all the entities that could be a part of the CCSP, which TSA  officials told us could number in the thousands, once the program is fully  implemented by August 2010. As a result, TSA is anticipating requesting an  additional 150 cargo Transportation Security Inspectors for fiscal year  2010 to supplement its existing allocation of 450 Transportation Security  Inspectors. However, TSA officials stated that they have not formally  assessed the number of Transportation Security Inspectors the agency will  need. Without such an assessment, TSA may not be able to ensure that  entities involved in the CCSP are meeting TSA requirements to screen and  secure cargo. TSA Has Not Identified a Strategy for Securing Inbound Air Cargo

We reported in April 2007 that more work remains in order for TSA to  strengthen the security of inbound cargo. As previously stated, TSA is  currently taking steps to develop a system of screening 100 percent of  domestic and outbound cargo transported on passenger aircraft. TSA officials acknowledge that vulnerabilities to inbound cargo  exist, but stated that each foreign country has its own security procedures  for flights coming into the United States, and further stated that TSA does  not impose its security requirements on foreign countries. Nevertheless, TSA officials acknowledged that vulnerabilities to inbound  cargo exist and that these vulnerabilities are in some cases similar to those  facing the domestic and outbound air cargo supply chain. However, TSA has yet to  address our recommendation for assessing inbound air cargo screening  exemptions.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to implement a system to physically screen 100 percent of cargo on passenger aircraft by August 2010. To fulfill these requirements, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) TSA is developing the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), which would allow the screening of cargo to occur prior to placement on an aircraft. This testimony addresses four challenges TSA may face in developing a system to screen 100 percent of cargo: (1) deploying effective technologies; (2) changing TSA air cargo screening exemptions; (3) allocating compliance inspection resources to oversee CCSP participants; and (4) securing cargo transported from a foreign nation to the United States. GAO's comments are based on GAO products issued from October 2005 through February 2008, including selected updates conducted in July 2008.

What GAO Found

DHS has taken steps to develop and test technologies for screening and securing air cargo; however, TSA has not completed assessments of the technologies it plans to use as part of the CCSP. TSA has reported that there are several challenges that must be overcome to effectively implement any of these technologies, including the nature, type, and size of cargo to be screened and the location of air cargo facilities. In addition, the air cargo industry voiced concern about the costs associated with purchasing the screening equipment. GAO will likely review this issue in future work. TSA plans to revise and eliminate screening exemptions for some categories of air cargo, thereby reducing the percentage of cargo transported on passenger aircraft that is subject to alternative methods of screening. However, TSA plans to continue to exempt some types of domestic and outbound cargo (cargo transported by air from the United States to a foreign location) after August 2010. TSA based its determination regarding the changing of exemptions on professional judgment and the results of air cargo vulnerability assessments. However, TSA has not completed all of its air cargo vulnerability assessments, which would further inform its efforts. TSA officials stated there may not be enough compliance inspectors to oversee implementation of the CCSP and is anticipating requesting an additional 150 inspectors for fiscal year 2010. They further stated that they have not formally assessed the number of inspectors the agency will need. Without such an assessment, TSA may not be able to ensure that CCSP entities are meeting TSA requirements to screen and secure cargo. To ensure that existing air cargo security requirements are being implemented as required, TSA conducts audits, referred to as compliance inspections, of air carriers that transport cargo. The compliance inspections range from a comprehensive review of the implementation of all security requirements to a review of at least one security requirement by an air carrier or freight forwarder (which consolidates cargo from many shippers and takes it to air carriers for transport). GAO reported in October 2005 that TSA had conducted compliance inspections on fewer than half of the estimated 10,000 freight forwarders nationwide and, of those, had found violations in over 40 percent of them. GAO also reported that TSA had not analyzed the results of compliance inspections to systematically target future inspections. GAO reported in April 2007 that more work remains for TSA to strengthen the security of cargo transported from a foreign nation to the United States, referred to as inbound air cargo. Although TSA is developing a system to screen 100 percent of domestic and outbound cargo, TSA officials stated that it does not plan to include inbound cargo because it does not impose its security requirements on foreign countries. TSA officials said that vulnerabilities to inbound air cargo exist and that these vulnerabilities are in some cases similar to those of domestic air cargo, but stated that each foreign country has its own security procedures for flights coming into the United States.