TSA - Credential Authentication Technology (CAT)
Investment ID: 024-000005710
Overview
Program Title
TSA - Credential Authentication Technology (CAT)
Description
TSA s envisioned passenger security system is an optimized, integrated, layered mix of systems that address known and emerging threats and vulnerabilities. The value for the public is reflected by utilizing the Credential Authentication technology to ensure that passengers are authorized to enter the sterile area of the passenger checkpoint. The CAT will authenticate passenger's ID and display this authentication result to the operator, as well as obtain and display the passenger pre-screening status as assigned by Secure Flight. CAT will also ensure that the passenger has a flight reservation appropriately to progress through security screening and enter the sterile area. In cases where passengers are not immediately cleared for access by the CAT, the system will provide users with sufficient detail (alert descriptions) to enable effective resolution. Finally, the equipment is configured to be flexible and deployable in multiple checkpoint configurations.
Type of Program
Major IT Investments
Multi-Agency Category
Not Applicable
Investment Detail
CAT does not have a standalone ROI derived from any alternatives analysis studies. The CAT Program was originally a project under the Passenger Screening Program where the ROI was calculated to as -35%. The CAT Program does not intend on revisiting ROI at this stage of its ALF and will leverage the PSP ROI. Therefore, the ROI of -35% would indicate that O&M will likely decrease -- or external benefits increase -- such that 65% of the initial acquisition costs will be recovered and 35% of the initial acquisition cost will not be recovered. The program will not generate any additional return or cost savings, this is due to the fact that investment is in security, which typically has negative ROI, since the upfront costs are very high and security benefits are hard to monetize. The ROI was calculated in the following manner. The status quo assumptions were analyzed for year by year and overall cost information. The next step was to calculate the year by year and overall cost of the chosen scenario and its benefits. The deltas for the year over year comprise the incremental investment required for the scenario. Next, it is necessary to calculate the Net Present Value (NPV) of both the costs and the benefits of the scenarios. A discount rate is given in the OMB A11 guidance. Subtract the discounted cost from the benefit. Then lastly divide the subtracted value by the NPV of the cost to calculate the ROI. The major internal benefits are the ability to provide many of the largest airports with a variety of equipment and provide a large scope of threat detection by allowing the procurement of different detection classes. It would also help to speed the deployment of a variety emerging technologies to the largest of airports to provide coverage to a major percentage of the traveling public. It also demonstrates a more strategic approach to security and has the flexibility needed to accomplish the security system and respond to emergent threats. Lastly the investment isthe preferred way to meet program goals to: enhance and automate threat detection; further integrate technologies and processes; promote a positive passenger experience; and enhance collaboration with stakeholders. External benefits were figured by calculating that if the program was successful there would be no catastrophic terrorist incident during the year. This was calculated to be a cost avoidance of having to pay out on the lives of the passengers and the cost of the plane. The cost estimate for the plane was derived by averaging the cost of 1 plane from each category of Boeing that are used in airline services and McDonnell Douglas plane costs. The payout on the accidental loss of life from previous plane crashes was used to estimate the value per person.