The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it has extended its contract with the Boeing Company for the deployment, installation and maintenance of aviation security equipment to December 31, 2004. "TSA has a commitment to transitioning and deploying new technology from the lab to the field," said Rear Adm. David M. Stone, USN (Ret.), Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for TSA. "Boeing has been a key partner in the deployment of state-of-the-art technology." The original contract, awarded in June 2002, was for one year with four, one-year options, and led to the successful deployment and installation of more than 7,000 pieces of explosive detection equipment to the nation’s 450 commercial airports. Over the next few weeks, TSA will solicit information from the private sector regarding multiple contracts for deployment, installation and maintenance for the post December 31, 2004 period. TSA’s new procurement strategy may include an evaluation of "white papers" - concept papers, an industry day with "qualified" vendors, and a "best value" source selection. Interested parties should continue to monitor the TSA's Business Opportunities web page and [url=http://www.fedbizops.gov]http://www.fedbizops.gov[/url] for information concerning future procurements. A Request for White Papers is anticipated to be posted by the end of August.