	FPS Faces Challenges Managing Its Guard Contractors That Hamper Its Ability to Protect Federal Facilities

		Some FPS Guard Contractors Did Not Always Comply with the Terms of Contracts and FPS Has Not Taken Actions against Them

FPS has not taken actions against some guard contractors that did not  comply with the terms of the contracts. We reviewed the official contract files for the 7 contractors who, as we  testified in July 2009, had guards performing on contracts with expired  certification and training requirements to determine what action, if any,  FPS had taken against these contractors for contract noncompliance. The  7 contractors we reviewed had been awarded several multiyear contracts  totaling $406 million to provide guards at federal facilities in 13 states and  Washington, D.C. In fact, FPS exercised the option to extend the contracts of  these 7 contractors. FPS Did Not Always Comply with Its Procedures for Completing Annual Performance Evaluations of Its Guard Contractors

FPS requires an annual performance evaluation of each contractor and at  the conclusion of contracts exceeding $100,000, and requires that these  evaluations and other performance-related documentation be included in  the contract file. FPS Continues to Face Challenges with Overseeing Guards That Raise Concern about Protection of Federal Facilities

		FPS Is Not Providing All Guards with X-ray and Magnetometer Training in Some Regions

As of February 2010, FPS had yet to provide some of its guards with all of  the required X-ray or magnetometer training. As of February 2010, these 1,500 guards had not received the 16 hours of  training but continued to work at federal facilities in this region. X-ray and magnetometer training is important because the majority  of the guards are primarily responsible for using this equipment to monitor  and control access points at federal facilities. FPS Lacks Assurance That Its Guards Have Required Certifications and Training

FPS currently does not have a fully reliable system for monitoring and  verifying whether its 15,000 guards have the certifications and training to  stand post at federal facilities. FPS Continues to Have Limited Assurance That Guards Are Complying with Post Orders once They Are Deployed to Federal Facilities

Once guards are deployed to a federal facility, guards are not always  complying with assigned responsibilities (post orders). Since July 2009, FPS conducted 53 similar penetration tests at  federal facilities in the 6 regions we visited, and in over 66 percent of these  tests, guards allowed prohibited items into federal facilities. Recent Actions Taken by FPS May Help Improve Oversight of the Contract Guard Program

In response to our July 2009 testimony, FPS has taken a number of actions  that, once fully implemented, could help address the challenges the agency  faces in managing its contract guard program. FPS has increased the number of guard inspections to two a week at  federal facilities in some metropolitan areas. Implementing a new system to monitor guard training and  certifications. Despite FPS’s recent actions, it continues to face challenges in ensuring  that its $659 million guard program is effective in protecting federal  facilities. For example, many of the 15,000  guards will not be fully trained until the end of 2010. Thus, in our report we recommend that the Secretary of Homeland  Security direct the Under Secretary of NPPD and the Director of FPS to  take the following eight actions:  identify other approaches and options that would be most beneficial and  financially feasible for protecting federal buildings; rigorously and consistently monitor guard contractors’ and guards’  performance and step up enforcement against contractors that are not  complying with the terms of the contract;   complete all contract performance evaluations in accordance with FPS  and Federal Acquisition Regulation requirements;  issue a standardized record-keeping format to ensure that contract files  have required documentation;   develop a mechanism to routinely monitor guards at federal facilities    provide building-specific and scenario-based training and guidance to its    develop and implement a management tool for ensuring that reliable,  comprehensive data on the contract guard program are available on a real- time basis; and   verify the accuracy of all guard certification and training data before  entering them into RAMP, and periodically test the accuracy and reliability  of RAMP data to ensure that FPS management has the information needed  to effectively oversee its guard program.
Why GAO Did This Study

To accomplish its mission of protecting about 9,000 federal facilities, the Federal Protective Service (FPS) currently has a budget of about $1 billion, about 1,225 full-time employees, and about 15,000 contract security guards. FPS obligated $659 million for guard services in fiscal year 2009. This testimony is based on our report issued on April 13, 2010, and discusses challenges FPS continues to face in (1) managing its guard contractors and (2) overseeing guards deployed at federal facilities, and (3) the actions FPS has taken to address these challenges. To address these objectives, GAO conducted site visits at 6 of FPS's 11 regions; interviewed FPS officials, guards, and contractors, and analyzed FPS's contract files. GAO also reviewed new contract guard program guidance issued since our July 2009 report and observed guard inspections and penetration testing done by FPS.

What GAO Found

FPS faces a number of challenges in managing its guard contractors that hamper its ability to protect federal facilities. FPS requires contractors to provide guards who have met training and certification requirements. FPS's guard contract also states that a contractor who does not comply with the contract is subject to enforcement action. GAO reviewed the official contract files for the seven contractors who, as GAO testified in July 2009, had guards performing on contracts with expired certification and training requirements to determine what action, if any, FPS had taken against these contractors for contract noncompliance. These contractors had been awarded several multiyear contracts totaling $406 million to provide guards at federal facilities in 13 states and Washington, D.C. FPS did not take any enforcement actions against these seven contractors for noncompliance. In fact, FPS exercised the option to extend their contracts. FPS also did not comply with its requirement that a performance evaluation of each contractor be completed annually and that these evaluations and other performance-related data be included in the contract file. FPS plans to provide additional training and hold staff responsible for completing these evaluations more accountable. FPS also faces challenges in ensuring that many of the 15,000 guards have the required training and certification to be deployed at a federal facility. In July 2009, GAO reported that since 2004, FPS had not provided X-ray and magnetometer training to about 1,500 guards in 1 region. As of January 2010, these guards had not received this training and continued to work at federal facilities in this region. X-ray and magnetometer training is important because guards control access points at federal facilities. FPS currently does not have a fully reliable system for monitoring and verifying whether its 15,000 guards have the certifications and training to stand post at federal facilities. FPS developed a new Risk Assessment and Program Management system to help monitor and track guard certifications and training. However, FPS is experiencing difficulties with this system and has suspended its use. In addition, once guards are deployed to a federal facility, they are not always complying with assigned responsibilities (post orders). Since July 2009, FPS has conducted 53 penetration tests in the 6 regions we visited, and in over half of these tests some guards did not identify prohibited items, such as guns and knives. In response to GAO's July 2009 testimony, FPS has taken a number of actions that, once fully implemented, could help address challenges it faces in managing its contract guard program. For example, FPS has increased the number of guard inspections at federal facilities in some metropolitan areas. FPS also revised its X-ray and magnetometer training; however, all guards will not be fully trained until the end of 2010, although they are deployed at federal facilities. Despite FPS's recent actions, it continues to face challenges in ensuring that its $659 million guard program is effective in protecting federal facilities. Thus, among other things, FPS needs to reassess how it protects federal facilities and rigorously enforce the terms of the contracts.