TSA issues airport tracking system RFI

The next-generation security system for U.S. airports may include seamless, continuous tracking of passengers and their baggage from the time of reservation to arrival at their destination, according to a new notice posted by the Transportation Security Administration.

TSA published a request for information on Tuesday to invite vendor ideas for such a system and its IT architecture. The system will include credential verification, identity management and tracking of passengers and their baggage. It must be able to integrate with existing systems, including sensors and threat detection and command and control systems.

Vendors are expected to discuss biometrics, scanning, smart cards, portals and kiosks, radio frequency identification, video surveillance and passenger identification and credentialing systems in their solicitations, the TSA notice stated.

They also must include information on integrating with other systems, user interfaces, data exchange methods, system management, bandwidth use, system performance and life-cycle costs.

"TSA is investigating options for the procurement and deployment of capabilities that will evolve the current portfolio of security systems into a network-centric enterprise of integrated standards-based technologies and enterprise services," the notice stated.

Vendor responses are due by April 18.