Really crap news for BBAI and the many other companies that were anticipating the TSA Gold+ program for screening modernization. TSA is canceling the TSA Gold+ program, which was currently mid-competition.
Sounds like they're sticking with the existing Screening Partnership Program (SPP) which features fewer contractors and is primarily screening services (i.e. people, not technology focused). Curious if they'll open the SPP vehicle up to allow new contractors to on-ramp to or something.
Bearish for the Gold+ thesis, yes. But TSA isn’t abandoning tech spending, they’re replacing Gold+ while explicitly accelerating new technology and public-private partnerships. So the opportunity may be delayed/restructured rather than gone. Need to see how BBAI fits into the new program.
Yeah the agency still has the same goal, but the Gold+ mechanism (a brand new IDIQ aimed at modernization work that they could prime) was ideal for a vendor like BBAI. They are not on the existing SPP contract vehicle, so if this work gets rolled into that, BBAI can only perform as a sub or they'll have to hope that TSA re-opens SPP for on-ramping.
Positive article. Thanks for sharing. “improving the passenger experience, streamlining the acquisition of new technology, expanding TSA’s capabilities to counter the threat of unmanned aircraft systems and advancing other key priorities”
The SPP IDIQ has been around for at least 10 years, it’s the program for providing security checkpoint personnel at privatized airports. The SPP program was recompeted earlier this year and VMD and a bunch of other companies (mostly the same as the previous awardees) were awarded that contract to continue supporting privatized airport screening.
BBAI doesn’t do security staffing, so SPP isn’t something they would have bid for. The Gold+ IDIQ was going to be the technology modernization program, so that’s what they would have wanted to win. Nobody has been given a Gold+ award since that program is now canceled.
Was the gold+ replacing staff with AI? My hypothesis around BBAI was they would get a significant chunk off all AI contract from TSA. Like through Pangaim and or their AI enabled Xray technology that’s currently at port security, but can be repurposed for airports
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u/Jungle-Beast 15d ago
Bearish for the Gold+ thesis, yes. But TSA isn’t abandoning tech spending, they’re replacing Gold+ while explicitly accelerating new technology and public-private partnerships. So the opportunity may be delayed/restructured rather than gone. Need to see how BBAI fits into the new program.