GAO Says Prior Radiation Portal Testing Biased, ASP Needs Independent Testing
The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the challenges the Department of Homeland Security has faced in managing testing and evaluation of major acquisitions, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) program.
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Unbiased, Independent Tests Would Help Determine Future Purchases
ASP is an effort to develop and deploy technologies to allow CBP to detect nuclear or radiological materials from conveyances, such as trucks, entering the U.S. at land and sea ports of entry.
According to GAO, ASP has not yet had an independent assessment of its test results despite reports by GAO that tests conducted by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Officer (DNDO)used biased test methods and non-objective assessment. Without an independent assessment of ASP’s operational test results, GAO says it will be difficult to ensure that operational testing was properly planned, conducted, and that the performance results are useful.
In addition, arranging for an independent assessment of operational tests results could provide critical information to help it determine whether ASP should be approved for purchase and implementation.
DHS Announced then Backtracked on ASP Purchase Plans
Note that DHS’ fiscal year 2012 budget request issued in February 2011 included $37 million to fund the procurement and deployment of 44 ASP systems, among other things. However in March 2011, DHS told Congress that it was scaling back its development of ASP monitors. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 02/16/11 and 03/04/10 news, 11021629 and 1003415, for BP summaries.)
(The report discussed only one other CBP program, the Secure Border Initiative Network (SBINet). Even though Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano directed CBP to end SBInet as originally conceived in January 2011 and to develop a new border technology deployment plan, limited deployments of SBInet technology remained deployed and operational in Arizona. GAO hopes DHS addresses its previous concerns about testing this system but says it is too early to tell. See ITT’s Online Archives or 01/18/11 and 01/31/11 news, 111011802 and 11013168, for BP summaries of House HSC Chair commenting on DHS’ decision to cancel SBINet and Napolitano discussing Southwest border security efforts.)
(GAO-11-596, dated June 2011)