COUNCIL TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS ON TECHNOLOGY PROCUREMENT AT TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

WASHINGTON, DC, Oct. 13, 2011– The Homeland Security & Defense Business Council (Council) testified today before Congress on how the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in particular, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as a whole, can work more effectively with the private sector to improve the technology acquisition and procurement process.

Marc Pearl, President & CEO of the Council, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Transportation Security, at a hearing entitled “TSA Reform: Exploring Innovations in Technology Procurement to Stimulate Job Growth, Part II.”

“Government and industry share the same goal: To provide the technology and capabilities needed by TSA for mission success through processes that are transparent, accountable, coordinated, timely, cost effective; and policies that encourage competition, innovation, and investment in the homeland security marketplace,” said Marc Pearl, Council President & CEO. “A harmonized acquisition process within DHS that encourages and utilizes earlier engagement and ongoing communication with industry will drive innovation and investment towards the technologies needed for this success.”

Pearl’s testimony called for improvement across DHS, and stressed that focusing on TSA alone, will not solve the current challenges with technology acquisition. A truly successful process and system will require that component parts of DHS stop operating in silos and become more synchronized. The Council provided three points on how the shared goal can be achieved:

1) Development of a long-term acquisition strategy – along with adequate and predictable funding;

2) Development of open, transparent, and coordinated processes and procedures that facilitate early and ongoing dialogue with the private sector and well-defined technology performance and testing requirements; and

3) Ensuring a strong organization that can coordinate both the R&D and procurement processes and has a workforce capable of planning and executing that process.

View the testimony at: http://www.homelandcouncil.org/pdfs/pdfs/hsdbctestimonytsa_reform101311.pdf

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About the Council

The Homeland Security & Defense Business Council is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization of the leading companies that bring homeland security solutions to the marketplace.  It works to ensure that the perspective, innovation, expertise and capabilities of the private sector are recognized, respected and integrated with the public sector.  For more information, please visit www.homelandcouncil.org.

CONTACT: MELISSA MIDDLESWORTH
(202) 470-6443

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