WASHINGTON, DC (October 3, 2011) – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced it will purchase and pilot new technologies designed to provide TSA greater ability to identify altered or fraudulent passenger identification credentials and boarding passes in order to further enhance travel safety. TSA plans to test the technology at select airports in early 2012.

“This technology will automatically verify passenger identification documents and boarding passes to further enhance security,” said TSA Administrator John S. Pistole. “This technology will help facilitate risk-based security, while making the process more effective and efficient.”

This technology, known as Credential Authentication Technology – Boarding Pass Scanning Systems (CAT-BPSS), will eventually replace the current procedure used by security officers to verify fraudulent or altered documents. It will be incorporated into TSA’s risk-based pilot that is slated to begin at four airports in the near future. This aligns with TSA’s latest efforts to enhance the passenger screening experience by moving toward a more risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism agency.

The approximately $3.2 million award includes the purchase of 30 systems from three different vendors. TSA began testing travel document authentication technology at the TSA Systems Integration Facility (TSIF) in July 2011. TSA continually tests the latest technologies available in an effort to stay ahead of evolving threats and improve the passenger screening experience.

For more information about TSA and other technologies visit www.tsa.gov/ait.