The Transportation Security Administration this month hopes to release a solicitation for a new variant of its Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) device that authenticates passenger identification documents, validates flight reservations and checks the security screening status for each passenger at airport security checkpoints.
The agency earlier this month also made available a revised operational requirements document and functional requirements document for the CAT-2 system. The documents are classified as sensitive security information and can only be viewed by persons vetted by TSA.
Previous versions of the draft requirements documents were released last September. TSA officials have said the CAT-2 device will include a camera and require an individual to self-scan their identity credential to verify the authenticity of the document. A traveler will also pause for a live photo that is compared to the photo on the credential to verify the person is the valid holder of the credential.
Currently, CAT devices are not equipped with the photo capture feature and require a TSA document checker to visually match the person to the photo on the ID. At some airports, passengers can insert their ID into the small desktop devices.
TSA has done pilot evaluations of CAT-2 devices and this summer plans to evaluate another version of a CAT-2-type systems called AutoCAT—which is an electronic-gate configuration to enable a touchless traveler experience—that will give the agency an opportunity to consider different staffing models such as allowing one agent to oversee multiple lanes at once while also processing more passengers.
The CAT-2 machines will also be used to read and process digital identities. TSA this spring began allowing Arizona residents to use mobile driver’s licenses or state-issued mobile identification cards in the wallet app of Apple [AAPL] iPhones or watches to verify their identity at the security screening checkpoint at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
TSA said the CAT-2 solicitation is expected to be released on May 31. The value of the competitive award is estimated at more than $100 million for 1,532 units over the ordering period.
Whether the contract for CAT-2 will have multiple awardees remains to be seen. TSA said this will be defined in the solicitation.
IDEMIA is the current contractor for CAT.
TSA also plans to use the CAT-2 devices at its PreCheck trusted traveler lanes at airport security checkpoints to use a passenger’s live photo as their identity credential. The photo will be compared to a small database of images maintained by Customs and Border Protection for flights from a particular airport that day, verify the person is scheduled to fly that day, and will also be used to check their Secure Flight vetting status.