Subject:
Title
Transportation Security Administration Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of a new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Law Enforcement Office (LEO) Reimbursement Program for the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE).
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) executes Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) with airports who have applied to the TSA’s LEO reimbursement program, which was established to provide on-site and highly visible LEO presence at its security screening checkpoints.
• Each airport operator is required to establish an air transportation security program that provides a LEO presence that is adequate to ensure the safety of passengers.
• Each agreement is funded for a minimum of three years or a maximum of five years.
• Funding is only available when Congress appropriates it. As the Federal Government incrementally funds the LEO Reimbursement Program, PIE will receive an OTA with the next period of expected revenues.
• PIE received notification on August 17, 2026, that it is receiving an OTA from the TSA LEO office in the amount of $173,375.00 for FY27.
• The base period of performance for this OTA is 9/1/2026 to 8/31/2027. TSA may unilaterally extend the agreement or provide additional funding as it becomes available.
• Funding from this agreement is not included in the FY27 Proposed Budget for PIE because it has not been a revenue source since FY24. The revenue will be recommended for amendment into the budget as appropriate if the agreement is approved.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.2 Enhance community safety.
Summary:
Approval of this item will enable PIE to continue to bill TSA for partial costs of the LEOs to provide support to the passenger screening checkpoints.
Background/Explanation:
On November 19, 2001, the President and Congress established the TSA as a new Federal agency. The Aviation and Transportation Security Act was enacted, which provides authority of the TSA to order the deployment of law enforcement personnel at each airport security screening location to ensure passenger safety and national security.
Currently, the maximum hourly rate for reimbursement is actual costs not-to-exceed $25.00 per hour. PIE expects to keep the checkpoints open for 19 hours per day, 365 days per year, for an annual total of $173,375.00.
Fiscal Impact:
The total received is dependent on the hours that the checkpoint is open and what amount the LEO Program is funded by the Federal Government.
This request is not budgeted in the FY27 Budget of PIE in the Airport Revenue and Operating Fund. This lack of budget is due to PIE not receiving revenue from this source since FY24. Following approval of this agreement, OMB will update revenue before FY27 Budget adoption to include the figures in the Agreement. In the event that future fiscal year funding is not available for this agreement, the County maintains the authority to terminate this agreement.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to approve this increase is granted under Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Mark E. Sprague, C.M., Director, Airport
Partners:
Department of Homeland Security - Transportation Security Administration
Attachments:
Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) - 70T01026T6114N064
OTA 70T01026TLEORP001 - Parent Agreement