[FedCom] TSA to buy 20, 000 HT's for agents to "whisper" at each other

[Greg Brazil]

Your idea

ed wrote:
> Well, one of us can easily get to the bottom of this by calling James Loba, TSA
> contract specialist, at (571)227-1032.
> 
> Any volunteers?
> 
> -ed
> 
> 
>> On 2/14/09, Chris Parris <chrisparris at monitoringtimes.com> wrote:
>>> Hmmm - the TSA already has encryption capabilities on their current
>>> XTS P-25 radios, so this would be nothing new for them.
>>>
>>> The original version of this story appeared a few months ago and
>>> stated that they were purchasing earpieces and mics so the radio
>>> traffic wasn't upsetting everyone waiting in the security lines. Now
>>> this story seems to say they want new radios. I'm not sure what the
>>> new radios would do for them that they can't do now.
>>>
>>> - Chris
>>>  --
>>> Chris Parris
>>> Fed Files Columnist
>>> Monitoring Times Magazine
>>> chrisparris at monitoringtimes.com
>>> http://www.monitoringtimes.com <http://www.monitoringtimes.com/> 
>>> http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Feb 14, 2009, at 12:09 AM, ed wrote:
>>>
>>>> Note that these are to be scrambled or encrypted radios, which can
>>>> cost
>>>> thousands of dollars apiece.  This could cost as much as much as
>>>> $100 Million.
>>>> Note radio specs below.
>>>>
>>>> -bernieS
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1515.html
>>>>
>>>> TSA wants its personnel to 'whisper' at airport checkpoints to
>>>> reduce stress
>>>>
>>>> By Jacob Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief
>>>>
>>>> Published February 11th, 2009
>>>>
>>>> In an effort to reduce shouting between its security officers at
>>>> airport
>>>> security checkpoints, and reduce overall stress levels for
>>>> passengers, TSA is
>>>> planning to purchase as many as 20,000 land mobile radios that would
>>>> enable its
>>>> personnel to whisper to each other.
>>>>
>>>> "Wireless whisper will reduce noise levels that contribute to the
>>>> current sense
>>>> of stress at checkpoints," explained TSA in a solicitation for
>>>> mobile radios
>>>> published Feb. 6. "These noise levels are elevated by the current
>>>> mode of
>>>> communication which often consists of [Transportation Security
>>>> Officers]
>>>> speaking or shouting to one another in the open, over other
>>>> checkpoint noise."
>>>>
>>>> TSA's Office of Operational Information Technology intends to
>>>> procure at least
>>>> 9,260 Very High Frequency land mobile radios, and, perhaps, as many
>>>> as 20,000 of
>>>> the units, to enable officers to speak more quietly.
>>>>
>>>> "A speaker microphone is intended to be worn on the uniform of the
>>>> TSA employee
>>>> around the shoulder area while the radio is attached at the belt
>>>> level," says
>>>> the statement of work for the proposed three-year, fixed-price,
>>>> indefinite
>>>> delivery / indefinite quantity contract. "The device shall allow for
>>>> the
>>>> attachment of a receive-only earpiece that allows for discrete
>>>> monitoring of audio."
>>>>
>>>> According to the statement of work, the radios will possess the
>>>> following
>>>> capabilities:
>>>>
>>>> * Weigh no more than 12 ounces, including the battery;
>>>>
>>>> * Operate in the 162MHz through 174MHz VHF spectrum;
>>>>
>>>> * Provide a vibrating alert on message reception;
>>>>
>>>> * Prevent unauthorized eavesdropping on voice transmissions through
>>>> voice
>>>> scrambling, encryption or other technologies.
>>>>
>>>> The radios will be distributed to more than 160 TSA locations at
>>>> airports and
>>>> other sites, over a four-month period.
>>>>
>>>> The effort to "reduce ambient noise and facilitate more discrete
>>>> communications
>>>> between TSOs" is one element of the Checkpoint Evolution Program
>>>> initiated by
>>>> TSA in 2007.
>>>>
>>>> Prospective radio vendors are expected to respond by Feb. 27. More
>>>> information
>>>> is available from James Loba, a TSA contract specialist, at
>>>> 571-227-1032.
>>>> ______________________________________________________________
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> 
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