PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      6b 
ACTION ITEM 
Date of Meeting     April 12, 2016 
DATE:    March 18, 2016 
TO:      Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:   Wendy Reiter, Director, Aviation Security 
Christian Samlaska, Senior Manager, Aviation Security 
SUBJECT:  Airport Total Queue Line Management Contract 
Amount of This Request:    Estimated       Source of Funds:   Airport Development
$3.3 million                                Fund 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to execute a contract to
provide queue management services for Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
checkpoints at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The total estimated value of this request is
$3.3 million for duration of May 1, 2016, through January 7, 2017, with the option to extend if
needed. 
SYNOPSIS 
All passengers traveling out of commercial airports are required by law, to be screened through
TSA checkpoints as part of security measures. Anomalies during the process of screening can
drastically slow down the process, impacting other passengers and ultimately airline operations.
Long lines have occurred at the TSA checkpoints for two primary reasons: the extreme growth
in passenger traffic driven by Seattle's regional economic growth, and local TSA staffing has
been constricted by the federal budget gridlock and their operational protocols are driven by
nationwide models that meet the average airport demand rather than rapid growing airports. The 
purpose of this authorization is to contract additional staff to handle the various non-security
customer service tasks within queueing management to reduce confusion and speed processing.
This contracted staffing will allow the TSA staff to focus solely on security and thereby open
more checkpoint lanes in order to gain higher passenger through put.
It is necessary to authorize and execute a contract expeditiously in order to enable hiring and
training so that the added contract staff can be deployed before wait times and queue lengths
increase with the peak summer travel season again. 
The cost for this contract is not included in the 2016 approved budget. Staff will strive to absorb
as much as possible within the existing budget and will provide an updated report with Q1 2016
results.

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 18, 2016 
Page 2 of 4 

The Port is processing a sole source competition waiver to contract with HSS, the only firm
currently certified and designated through the Safety Act to perform these functions. In order to
meet May 1, 2016 service date, HSS will need to retain, train, and secure badges for the service
providers. 
BACKGROUND 
Wait times for the TSA checkpoints at the Airport continue to grow. The impact at SEA has been
significant with security checkpoint wait times of 40-90 minutes and up to two hours. Airlines
continue to see a rise in customers missing flights. Delta has reported that as many as 500 people
missed flights. The airport is partnering with TSA to help process passengers through the
checkpoints as efficiently as possible. Historically, TSA has provided queue management,
divesting and re-vesting assistance, and ensuring that bins are available at the checkpoints. In an
effort to increase throughput at the screening lanes, TSA will pull staff from these functions and
focus them on the screening process. The line management contract will provide those valuable
functions previously provided by TSA that help prepare passengers for the screening process. 
This will allow as many screening lanes to be open as possible, while still maintaining essential
queue management functions. The contract for total queue line management control will return
normal wait times of 20-30 minutes. This partnership will allow the Airport to process people
through the security checkpoints as efficiently as possible in an effort to reduce passenger wait
times and the impact on airline operations. 
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION AND DETAILS 
Scope of Work 
Provide customer assistance in queue line management at TSA checkpoints. The contactor will
assist with divesting and re-vesting, provide direction and customer service by ensuring
customers are in the correct place and ensure service tools are available for customers. 
Schedule 
If approved the Airport Total Queue Management program is planned to be in place from
May 1, 2016 through January 7, 2017. 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
Budget Status and Source of Funds 
The cost of this contract was not included in the 2016 operating budget. The costs will, however,
be included in the airline rate base and recovered through terminal rents.  As such, the funding
source will be the Airport Development Fund.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 18, 2016 
Page 3 of 4 
STRATEGIES AND OBJECTIVES 
The primary purpose of this request is to improve customer service. Furthermore, per our
Century Agenda this advances the region as a leading tourism and business gateway into the
West Coast "Gateway of Choice" by providing a seamless process through the checkpoints. 
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1  Allow customers to find their own way through the checkpoint process without
any assistance. 
Cost Implications: Zero cost for Port. The passengers lose the cost of the ticket on the flight
which can vary from $100 to over $5,000 depending upon the destination and class of ticket.
The Port, TSA, and airlines all lose credibility in the eyes of the missed customer and even those
passengers who find long lines unacceptable. In March the airlines estimated that 100 to 200
passengers were missing flights
Pros: 
(1)  Does not require expending $3.3million. 
Cons: 
(1)  This alternative continues extremely long lines, confusion, and dissatisfaction. 
a.    A fire code and life safety can become an issue as the lines grow. 
(2)  A large number of passengers will miss their flights while waiting in lines.
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 2  Use Port of Seattle staff. 
Cost Implications: Estimated cost of hiring 90 internal positions is $3.8 million. This cost is
payroll only and does not include training, uniforms and other costs.
Pros: 
(1)  Provides valuable customer assistance to help process passengers through the
checkpoints as efficiently as possible. 
Cons: 
(1)  There are not currently enough Port employees to do this work. 
(2)  Hiring for this temporary (peak season) job would have to be repeated and that
would consume the majority of Human Resources and during the peak hiring
periods.
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 3  Hire a contractor that has employees who are trained and fully covered by the
contractor. 
Cost Implications: $3.3 million

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 18, 2016 
Page 4 of 4 
Pros: 
(1)  Provides valuable customer assistance to help process passengers through the
checkpoints as efficiently as possible. 
(2)  Utilizing a contractor that is Safety Act Designated and Certified and meets all DHS
security standards is the preferred plan. HSS meets this desired standard. 
(3)  Job creation for community
Cons: 
(1)  Requires spending $3.3 million of Port funds. 
This is the recommended alternative. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
None 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None