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TSA official defends TWIC deployment

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A Transportation Security Administration senior official has strongly defended the agency's rollout of the Transportation Workers Identification Credential following a critical report from a federal advisory panel.

"We are operating at full capacity and have enrolled more than 450,000 people," said Maurine Fanguy, the TWIC program'/s director. "I am very happy about it."

Fanguy was responding to a report from the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee's TWIC Working Group that recently outlined more than a dozen problems with the TWIC program, including performance shortcomings, technical glitches and poor communication.

"Unresolved problems...help to foster the sentiment among stakeholders that the TWIC program is broken," the 17-page advisory report states. The working group called on the Coast Guard and TSA to address the issues to lift enrollment and sustain cooperation.

TWIC is a biometric identification card being produced for 750,000 maritime workers. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor under a $70 million contract. Enforcement of the card will start in April 2009.

The working group's report said cards are not being delivered within 30 days as promised, but Fanguy disputed that, saying most cards are being delivered within two weeks.

The group also said fingerprinting failures are occurring in some of the attempted enrollments, estimating a range from 3.7 percent to 8 percent. Fanguy disagreed, saying that 98.5 percent of enrollees encounter no problems with fingerprinting.

The report also detailed complaints with incorrect information on the cards, long waits at enrollment centers and poor communication. Fanguy said those concerns were outdated.

A biometric expert noted that large-scale biometric deployments typically have a few rough spots.

"In the case of TWIC, we don't see any reason why these issues cannot be worked out and resolved," said Peter Cheesman, marketing manager for International Biometric Group consulting firm.

About the Author

Alice Lipowicz is a staff writer for Federal Computer Week.

Reader comments

Mon, Apr 20, 2009 nj pipefitter new jersey

NJ pipefitter applied for the twic card back on sept 3, 2008, was denied october 2008, filled out a waiver application sent that in on nov 14, 2008. On the waiver paper work that twic sent me it states that it could take up to 60 days for them to make a final decession, which should have been around about Jan 14, 2009, it is now April 20, 2009, and still no answer. Every time I call the twic help desk they tell me that twic is back logged, Oh, and sorry for the inconvience Thank you. The biggest problem I have (besides not being able to work and feed my family) is the time line in which TSA TWIC give you to comply with compliance dates. If they can not in a thier own stated time line (60 days) keep up with amount of waiver, and appeals appilications Why don't they then move back the compliance dates so that these skilled people that have been working in these places for years can keep supporting thier families. Oh and maybe this Lockheed Martin which was subcontracted by TSA to handle the this whole TWIC operation for $70 million dollars should have the contract pulled out from under them and givin to a company that could better handle this. I don't know that was just a thought, but what I do know is that if I was givin a job to do and I didnt complete it in the time line stated I would have been fired.

Sat, Apr 4, 2009 trucker1 new jersey

I am a nj truck driver and applied for my TWIC on January 30th,2009. I went to call to see what the status was for my TWIC and now they do not see me in the system. Do they know that this is people bread and butter and how they support their families. I am now wondering if i have to enroll all over again. i wonder do President Obama include people not being able to work because of the computer glitches for the twic for his numbers of people now being unemployed because of this.

Mon, Mar 30, 2009 William Crawford Kona,Hawaii

TWIC Cards for Public and Private Harbors is Redundent.Honokohau Harbor,Kona,Hawaii is open to the Public with all the public Facilities,Stores,Gas Stations,Launch Ramps(5000 Trailer boats)Restuarants,Boat Yards ect.Charter Boat Captains should Start writing there Senators and telling them to Back S-3377 Small Boat Relief Act.We here in Kona(200 Capains)all have the TWIC Cards and will NEVER USE Them Except to save our U.S.C.G.Licence(37 years)Everyone Please Write.Thank You Captain Bill Crawfod..

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