TSA awards two contracts worth $1.9 billion

The Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. won a pair of contracts worth a combined $1.9 billion to provide explosives detection and passenger safety systems for the nation's airports. The contracts were awarded June 7 by the Transportation Security Administration.

Boeing of Chicago was chosen by TSA to install and maintain up to 1,100 explosives detection systems and up to 6,000 explosive trace detection devices at 438 U.S. airports serving commercial traffic.

Legislation passed by Congress requires the installation of detection systems in all airports by Dec. 31. The contract, worth $1.37 billion, has options to support the equipment for five years after the December completion date.

Also included in the contract is training about 30,000 airport baggage screening employees to use the explosives detection and explosive trace detection equipment.

Boeing's teammate is Siemens Corp., the New York-based subsidiary of German company Siemens AG, along with several subcontractors for different aspects of airport site design, preparation and engineering.

Siemens will direct equipment installation, including machine positioning, site preparation and field service. Siemens also will manage the field service through a long-term support agreement.

In the Lockheed Martin contract, the Bethesda, Md.-based company will implement new security operations to help ensure air passenger safety. The task order has a value of $350 million and a ceiling of $490 million.

Lockheed Martin will upgrade passenger security measures at airports and help convert passenger screening operations from private to federal control. Passenger screening lanes at security checkpoints inside airports will be reconfigured; if needed, screening equipment such as metal detectors, X-ray machines, video cameras and hand wands will be replaced.

The team also will provide logistics and orientation support for new government screening personnel. These measures are mandated by Congress to be in place by Nov. 19.

Lockheed Martin's team includes KPMG Consulting Inc. and Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., both of McLean, Va., and Parsons Corp. of Pasadena, Calif.