As an airport security director, monitoring a security contract requires balancing airport requirements against the realities of contractor performance and determining whether the result meets current needs.

The security director needs to answer certain questions regarding the state of the airport’s security contract. If the security contract is pre-9/11, have the parameters and requirements been updated in the last 10 years, or are the contracting parameters and requirements essentially unchanged? If the airport’s security contract is post-9/11, the first contract and option years may be ending. Should adjustments be made to the contract?

Take this test;

• Is the retention rate for contract employees above 80 percent?
• Does your security contract staff have affordable healthcare benefits, and are they paid within the proper range of local area wages for a security officer?
• Do the employees receive up-to-date and ongoing training specific to the airport environment?
• Is the contract being managed well and are customer complaints not an issue?
• Does the onsite contract management staff have the necessary education, experience and credentials?
• Does your security contractor have at a minimum SAFETY Act Designation and, preferably, Certification?
• Are you using local law enforcement in the most effective, efficient, and cost effective role; and have you evaluated where professional contract security might supplement security responsibilities?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you are well-positioned and are maximizing your security budget dollars. However, if you answered “no” to one or more of the questions, you may need to do some work. ASC can develop an RFP for your airport that will address all these issues and more.