Client Story

Addressing TSA’s GAO-identified Deficiencies in Strategic Planning, Implementation, and Performance Management.

IMPLEMENTATION

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that helps Congress assess the effectiveness of federal programs. It reviews policies and operations across government agencies and issues recommendations for improvement.

Since 2018, multiple GAO evaluations of TSA programs and policies concluded that the agency had not sufficiently adopted or implemented federal standards and best practices in strategic planning, performance management, and program evaluation—as outlined in the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) and the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act).

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The Strategic Driver and Agency Objective

To lead the planning, assessment, development, drafting, and design phases of TSA’s strategic plans and internal strategies, and to develop implementation plans in consultation with key stakeholders. Effective implementation plans capture dependencies and prioritize objectives and tactical solutions to ensure TSA advances each goal in a strategic, measurable manner.

The Activities Kevin Performed:

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  • Developed each plan’s overview and purpose; defined assumptions; outlined the approach and work breakdown structure; identified sponsors; established working groups; and clarified roles and responsibilities.

  • Conducted environmental scans and PESTLE analyses; surveyed TSA personnel and industry stakeholders; interviewed government and industry representatives; and led SWOT analysis sessions with action teams.

  • Facilitated workshops to establish goals, actionable objectives, and desired outcomes; participated in objective evaluation sessions; collected quantitative data on evaluation factors; and built dynamic tables for weighted scoring of objectives by TSA leadership.

  • Provided comprehensive document composition support; authored substantive sections; organized and enhanced narratives; conducted copy and line editing; refined voice and ensured consistency; and proofread final documents.

  • Oversaw formatting, layout, design elements, and style for strategic plans and internal strategies.

  • Supported efforts to identify strategic initiatives, events, and milestones necessary to achieve each plan’s objectives, as well as the tactical measures used to track implementation progress.

The Products Kevin Delivered:

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  • Drafted a “Planning Guidance” document and a “Kick-Off Meeting” PowerPoint deck and presentation script for each strategic plan facilitated.

  • Drafted summaries of key findings and stakeholder positions; authored final SWOT statements and meeting summaries; and created infographics and other communications products to inform plan development.

  • Created a Goal Development Worksheet and an Objective Development Form, along with supporting workshop curriculum and training materials used across plans and strategies.

  • Contributed to most strategic plans and internal strategies published by TSA between 2020 and 2024.

  • At the request of the TSA Administrator, delivered a restructured and graphically designed National Strategy for Transportation Security and Capital Investment Plan.

  • Created reporting templates and a dashboard to support quarterly executive reviews. These products streamlined information consumption, provided bottom-line insights, and clearly framed outstanding milestones and associated challenges.

The Ultimate Outcome

The successful implementation of TSA’s enhanced strategic planning capability led to the development of comprehensive plans and internal strategies addressing cybersecurity, insider threats, air cargo security, identity management, advanced air mobility, surface operations, innovation, customer experience, biometrics, communications, and other mission-critical areas.