Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
7a
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
September 11, 2018
DATE: August 27, 2018
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Wendy Reiter, Director Aviation Security
Nora Huey, Director, Central Procurement Office
SUBJECT: After-Action Report Competition Waiver
Amount of this request: $275,001
Total estimated project cost: $325,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Port of Seattle Commission action as follows: (1) that Commission exercise its authority
under RCW 53.19.020(5) to waive the competitive solicitation process for a personal service
agreement on the basis that it is not appropriate or cost-effective and (2) authorize an
amendment of the existing contract with firm Ross & Baruzzini for $275,001 for development of
a federally regulated After-Action Report for the August 10, 2018, abduction of a Horizon Air
aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On August 10, 2018, an aircraft was abducted by a Horizon Air employee from Seattle-Tacoma
International Airport. While an initial review of the incident shows that no airport security
protocols were violated, the Port needed to take immediate actions to prevent similar events
and to ensure the long-term safety of passengers, residents, and employees. The Port
recognized the need to develop an After-Action Report (AAR) and therefore contacted Ross &
Baruzzini as a firm recommended by Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Port staff determined it was in the Port’s best interest to initiate a contract with Ross &
Baruzzini on August 21, 2018 to start initial work on development of the After-Action Report.
An AAR is necessary to address federal requirements, properly document the event, develop
best practices to avoid similar incidents from occurring in the future, and demonstrate to the
public the Port’s proactive response to the incident. The Port executed a contract for $49,999
and authorized the consultant to begin Phase 1 of the report.
Port staff has determined that an estimated $325,000 is necessary to develop and create the
complete AAR pertaining to the Horizon Aircraft incident. The report will include all
information relevant to the aircraft abduction event, as well as actions that occurred in the
hours prior to, during, and after the event leading to full resumption of operations. In addition
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _7a_ Page 2 of 5
September 11, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
to addressing the event response and recovery, the AAR will include a review with industry
stakeholders on potential mitigating measures that airports and airlines can adopt to mitigate
the potential recurrence of a similar event. The report will also examine measures to anticipate
and deter erratic behavior of employees who have passed TSA-required background checks.
JUSTIFICATION
Port staff is recommending that Commission authorize a non-competitive contract with Ross &
Baruzzini for an estimated value of $325,000 to complete the AAR. In accordance with RCW
53.19.020(5), Commission may exempt this contract from competitive solicitation and
authorize the amendment if Commission determines that a competitive solicitation process is
not appropriate or cost-effective.
Port staff believes a noncompetitive contract with Ross & Baruzzini is appropriate for the
following reasons:
1. Ross & Baruzzini has decades in specialized experience preparing After-Action Reports
related to aviation incidents. Following the active shooter event at Fort Lauderdale-
Hollywood International Airport (FLL) on January 6, 2017, Ross & Baruzzini worked closely
with key city and county executives to assess the airport’s response to the incident. Their
detailed After-Action Report was developed consistently with guidelines set forth in the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation
Program (HSEEP).
2. Ross & Baruzzini has experience working alongside Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) and other federal investigators and airline representatives to gather additional
information in a collaborative approach. Should Ross & Baruzzini be able to continue its
investigation alongside TSA, the concurrent investigation would lead to a more efficient and
accurate After-Action Report.
3. Ross & Baruzzini has successfully delivered a report meeting federal requirements of an
After-Action Report. After-Action reports must be developed consistently with guidelines
set forth in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Exercise and
Evaluation Program (HSEEP). The Port does not have experience developing a report with
these requirements.
4. Ross & Baruzzini’s experience and skillsets will help the Port develop a detailed After-Action
Report in a quicker and more efficient way than if the Port sought to do this project on its
own.
DETAILS
Under the current $49,999 contract, Ross & Baruzzini has met with airport leadership and key
stakeholders to validate the scope of work and schedule to identify necessary steps for
successful completion of the AAR. Additional work currently underway is review of the Airport
Emergency Plan and Airport Security Plan. The consultant will next develop an interview plan of
action that determines who will be interviewed.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _7a_ Page 3 of 5
September 11, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
Phase 2 will include interviews, fact finding, data analysis, evaluation, and will result in a
complete After-Action Report. This process will include stakeholders designated by the Port
both at the airport and those at the national level such as airline corporate security managers,
aircraft manufacturers, and industry trade organizations.
The After-Action Report is anticipated to include, but is not limited to, the following:
1. Coordination of Operations including Airport Emergency Operations Center (EOC), King
County EOC operations, and other government agencies.
2. Stakeholder contributions and incident impacts, including airline, tenant, concession,
and general aviation.
3. FAA Air Traffic Control, including delays, cancellation, and diversions.
4. Recovery and post-event activities, including Airport Operations/Traffic operations,
economic impacts, and security impacts.
5. A timeline for all important time markers related to the incident, such as notification,
response, and recovery.
6. Recommendations for the Port to support compliance with National Incident
Management System (NIMS) Mission Areas and Core Capabilities as outlined under the
National Preparedness Goal.
7. A gap analysis addressing resource and planning deficiencies relative to the event.
8. Recommendations for modification of the current Airport Emergency Plan (filed with
the FAA) relative to the event.
9. Recommendations for technology solutions to improve detection, prevention, response,
and recovery capabilities.
10. Recommendations for improvement in mitigation, detection, prevention, response, and
recovery based on lessons learned during the after-action review and national
standards.
11. Industry stakeholder feedback on how best to address this newly exposed vulnerability.
The long-term outcome will be a detailed, federally-compliant report outlining the events
surrounding the incident. It will include recommendations for the Port of Seattle and other
airports to avoid a similar public safety risk in the future.
Estimated Schedule
Activity
Commission Authorization
September 2018
Project Initiation
September 2018
Data Gathering and Evaluation
October 2018
After-Action Conference
December 2018
Final After-Action Report
January 2018
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _7a_ Page 4 of 5
September 11, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1 – Compete follow-on work associated with Phase 2 through a competitive
solicitation process per RCW 53.19. This process is estimated to take three to four months to
complete, thereby delaying critical work until next year.
Pros:
(1) Opportunity to evaluate multiple proposals and approaches to the project.
(2) Potentially lower costs.
Cons:
(1) Major delays in developing the After-Action Report.
(2) Risk of not meeting Department of Homeland Security HSEEP requirements.
(3) Potentially higher costs.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 2 – Do not develop an After-Action Report.
Pros:
(1) Cost savings related to the development of the report.
Cons:
(1) No detailed documentation of the incident.
(2) No findings or recommendations to help avoid a similar incident in the future.
(3) Not meeting Department of Homeland Security HSEEP requirements.
(4) Lack of collaborative partnership with stakeholders affected by the incident.
(5) Appearance of not doing our due diligence from the public’s perspective.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 3 – Issue a non-competitive contract to Ross & Baruzzini.
Pros:
(1) Fast and efficient approach to utilize a highly-qualified firm to produce an After-Action
Report by January 31, 2019.
Cons:
(1) Other firms are not provided opportunity to compete for the work.
This is the recommended alternative.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _7a_ Page 5 of 5
September 11, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Cost Breakdown
Amount
Current Contract
$49,999
Authorization to Amend
$275,001
Total
$325,000
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The estimated cost for this contract is $325,000. The $325,000 total amount is sourced from
aviation security funds (contingency).
Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership)
The After-Action Report’s findings may suggest best practices for the Port to implement in
order to avoid similar incidents in the future.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
None
PREVIOUS RELATED COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
None
