Screening Partnership Program
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act, or ATSA, required TSA to establish pilot projects at up to five airports where screening would be performed by employees of qualified private companies under federal oversight. The law required those contract screeners to meet all the requirements applicable to federal screeners, and required the program be in place no later than November 19, 2002.
TSA’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP) grew out of a two-year pilot program with five airports. Since the conclusion of the pilot program in 2004, all U.S. airports with commercial service have been eligible to apply to SPP, which uses qualified private screening companies to provide screening services under federal oversight. Sixteen airports are currently participating in the program. A new application process was implemented in Feb. 2012.
The original five pilot airports, which still participate in SPP are:
- San Francisco International Airport;
- Kansas City International Airport;
- Greater Rochester International Airport;
- Jackson Hole Airport; and,
- Tupelo Regional Airport.
As of today, 11 additional airports are participating in SPP, for a total of 16. These are:
- Sioux Falls Regional Airport;
- Key West International Airport;
- Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport;
- Roswell Industrial Air Center;
- Seven airports in Montana: Frank Wiley Field; Sidney Richland Regional; Dawson Community Airport; L.M. Clayton Airport; Wokal Field; Havre City County Airport; and Lewiston Municipal Airport.
Interested in learning more about the unique partnership between TSA, airport authorities and private industry?