Christine Spigai

Since 2010, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) has required one hundred percent screening for all air cargo, changing the industry’s regulatory landscape dramatically. While established to better address a very real and imminent threat, the comprehensive explosive screening requirements mandated under the Certified Cargo Screening Program presented operational and efficiency challenges for organizations of all sizes.

The use of Explosive Detection Canine (EDC) Opens in a new window teams continues to remain the most effective and efficient cargo screening tool for meeting those challenges. As such, the demand for TSA EDC teams continued to escalate to meet significant needs, outpacing available inventory. The implementation of third-party EDC teams has long been discussed as necessary to best address supply. Following many years of strong interest and support throughout the industry, this is now about to become a reality.

It is essential that organizations prepare adequately for the upcoming TSA announcement. In our last two blogs, we focused on operational and budgetary preparation. Regulatory considerations are also a critical focus for organizations that intend to take advantage of third-party canine screening.

Communication: Coordinate and communicate with CCSP-K9 providers to confirm their firm understanding of the scope of responsibilities and verify their ability to act as their own regulated entity within the security program.

Confirmation: Conduct detailed due-diligence of CCSP-K9 providers to ensure they possess the internal program compliance and regulatory infrastructure to allow them to respond to TSA inquiries.

Compliance: Establish and maintain a 3PK9 Security Program-compliant record keeping process for the documentation of accepting and transferring screened cargo. Develop an internal process to accept and maintain all internal audits provided by CCSP-K9 providers.

The operational, budgetary and regulatory readiness considerations outlined in our three-part blog are aimed at ensuring that carriers of all sizes are prepared to benefit from the imminent roll out of TSA’s third-party canine screening program. Will you be ready?

Click here for our downloadable preparedness checklist Opens in a new window

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