DRAFT Evaluation Factors.docx

Evaluation Factors and Proposal Requirements (IDIQ Level) The Government will evaluate proposals using a best‑value tradeoff, considering technical merit and risk alongside price, within the statutory constraint that total contract cost is at or below the Federal cost baseline. Offerors shall submit proposals that address the following evaluation factors.

Factor 1 – Technology Solution & Innovation Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall describe their proposed technology solution for TSA Gold+, including:

· The checkpoint and checked baggage technologies they propose to deploy (identifying TSA‑certified or certifiable systems), and how these will be fielded early in the contract lifecycle.

· How their solution will improve security and passenger experience, increase capacity, and reduce wait time variability (e.g., “checkpoint of the future” concepts, automation, data‑driven lane management, real‑time monitoring).

· Their lifecycle and refresh strategy, including:

· Frequency and approach to software and hardware upgrades;

· Planned innovation mechanisms (e.g., innovation CLINs, AI‑enabled enhancements, process improvements);

· Logistics and sustainment approach (spare parts, supply chain, field support, end‑of‑life/decommission planning).

· Their approach to providing real-time performance data and dashboards (e.g., wait times, throughput, threats, system status/configuration) to TSA for technical oversight.

· How their solution will ensure robust connectivity and support open architecture, enabling modular, standards-based integration with evolving TSA systems and third-party technologies, and facilitating future upgrades and interoperability.

Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate the extent to which the proposed solution is technically mature, modern, adaptable, and capable of being deployed and sustained in a way that enhances security and passenger experience. Proposals that rely on speculative or undeveloped technologies without a credible deployment plan will be rated lower.

Factor 2 – Staffing & Workforce Management Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall describe their staffing and workforce management approach, including:

· Proposed staffing levels by function (TSO‑equivalent, supervisors, admin/maintenance), including passenger‑to‑officer ratios and throughput assumptions aligned with TSA wait time and performance standards.

· Plans for managing peak and off‑peak periods (e.g., holidays, special events) and surge staffing, including support for TSA‑directed remote image review.

· Hiring, vetting, and training processes (initial and recurrent), including how they will maintain high detection and image‑interpretation skills (APR, simulation, etc.).

· How they will monitor and manage workforce performance and morale, including tools for performance measurement, surveys, turnover analysis, and mitigation of burnout.

Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate the realism and sufficiency of the staffing model, the robustness of hiring and training processes, and the Offeror’s ability to maintain a qualified, motivated workforce that meets or exceeds TSA performance standards.

Factor 3 – Performance & Outcome Management Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall describe how they will manage performance across security, efficiency, and customer experience, including:

· Their approach to measuring and managing security effectiveness (threat detection, selectee find rates, access control, insider threat mitigation).

· Their methods for achieving screening efficiency (TSA wait time standards, equipment/ lane availability).

· Their approach to customer experience/hospitality, including use of Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score, complaints/compliments, and how they embed professionalism and courtesy alongside security.

· The data, tools, and reporting they will use to monitor performance (e.g., dashboards, analytics), and how they will provide transparent, auditable data to TSA in real time, point‑in‑time, and ad‑hoc formats.

Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate how well the proposed performance management system supports TSA’s outcome‑based metrics, including the ability to support incentive/penalty structures and provide TSA with adequate visibility and control.

Factor 4 – Management Approach & Transition Plan Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall describe their program management and transition approach, including:

· Overall governance structure (roles, responsibilities, escalation paths) and experience managing multi‑site or large hub operations in regulated environments.

· A transition plan detailing:

· Hiring and onboarding timelines;

· Technology installation and integration;

· Coordination with FSDs, airport authorities, and airlines;

· Risk mitigation for early attrition, delays, or other disruptions.

· How they will ensure continuity of operations during transition and, as applicable, during contractor‑to‑contractor handoffs.

· A plan for orderly transition back to Government operations, if required, including provisions for adequate notice, operational handover, and maintaining an escrow account or equivalent financial mechanism to fund continued services during the transition period.

Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate the realism and completeness of the transition plan, the strength of governance and risk management, and the Offeror’s ability to maintain secure, continuous operations during changeover.

Factor 5 – Financial Capability & Business Stability Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall provide information demonstrating their financial capability, including:

· Financial statements, credit ratings, or other indicators of financial stability.

· Evidence of sufficient capitalization to support a 10‑year contract with integrated staffing and technology commitments.

· A description of financial risk management practices (e.g., hedging against cost fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, or labor cost changes).

Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s financial strength and resilience to ensure TSA is partnering with responsible, durable providers and not assuming undue risk from under‑capitalized or unstable entities.

Factor 6 – Past Performance & Relevant Experience Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall provide up to three (3) examples of relevant contracts that demonstrate:

· Experience managing airport security, large‑scale operations, or similar regulated environments of comparable size, scope, and complexity.

· Quality of performance on integrated staffing and technology contracts, including outcome‑based metrics and complex transitions.

· Points of contact and reference information for verification.

If the Offeror has no directly relevant past performance, they shall state this explicitly.

Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate the relevance and quality of the Offeror’s past performance. Offerors with no relevant past performance will receive a Neutral rating (neither favorable nor unfavorable) for this factor.

Appendix – Rating Methodology (For Information Only) The Government will apply a standard 1–5 adjectival rating scale (Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable) with narrative justification to each technical factor. Price will be evaluated for reasonableness, realism (as applicable), and consistency with the statutory requirement that total contract cost remain at or below the Federal cost baseline.

Task Order Evaluation Factors (Airport-Specific) For each airport‑specific task order, Offerors shall provide information and plans addressing the following factors. The Government will use this information to evaluate how well the Offeror’s Gold+ capabilities are tailored to that specific airport.

Factor A – Airport-Specific Solution & Tailoring Offerors shall provide a detailed description of how they will execute the mission of providing security screening services at the specific airport, including:

· How they will organize and operate checkpoint and checked baggage screening to deliver secure, efficient, and compliant operations that meet TSA’s standards.

· How the proposed solution aligns with the airport’s layout, traffic patterns, growth plans, and community/economic role.

· A high‑level concept of operations (ConOps) that explains how staffing, technology, and processes will be integrated to achieve required security, throughput, and customer experience outcomes for that airport.

The Government will evaluate how clearly and credibly the Offeror explains how it will run the screening operation day‑to‑day, and how well that approach fits the airport’s specific context.

Factor B – Innovative Concepts Offerors shall describe any innovative concepts they propose to implement at the airport—such as off‑premise screening, automation, redesigned curb‑to‑gate flows, or differentiated lane concepts—and explain how these innovations will maintain or improve security, throughput, and passenger experience.

Factor C – Stakeholder Engagement & Alignment Offerors shall provide a plan for engaging and coordinating with the airport authority, airlines, and other local stakeholders, including how they will structure governance, communication, and decision‑making to support the airport’s role as a community and economic engine.

Factor D – Implementation Plan, Milestones, and Risk Management Offerors shall submit a high‑level implementation plan for the airport, including key milestones (e.g., design finalization, hiring, training, equipment deployment, integration, testing, and cutover), success measures, and a summary of anticipated risks and proposed mitigation strategies to avoid degradation in security or service.

Factor E – Price / Cost for Airport-Specific Solution Offerors shall provide a price proposal for the airport specific task order, including transition, staffing, technology, maintenance, and any proposed innovation/refresh elements. The proposal shall clearly explain how the price is consistent with the Offeror’s technical and staffing approach and how it remains at or below the Government’s cost to provide equivalent Federal screening services. The Government will provide the current federal staffing cost baseline for each airport, and Offerors must demonstrate that their total proposed price—including all required elements—does not exceed this baseline.