Computer Laptop Encryption Systems

FMCSAs Financial Assistance Agreement, General Provisions and Assurances? dated September 2009, Section 24(e) stated that All laptops used by [grant] recipients, grantees, and contractors in carrying out the project plan, which contain data pertaining to this agreement, must be encrypted to the same standards utilized by FMCSA. Alaska has been notified that this text will change to the more detailed requirements in the supporting documentation mentioned below. Alaska has purchased numerous laptop computers with FMCSA grant funds and deployed these to small police agencies for ASPEN use and for completion of electronic crash forms/citations. The new encryption requirement causes Alaska to risk losing the assistance of small police agencies who have little to no IT support. This potential loss is going to affect several FMCSA initiatives and safety programs. Alaska has requested money to design a solution, but all states will be affected. Supporting documentation in the form of an email from Kelvin Taylor, Information Systems Security Officer, FMCSA, dated July 7, 2010 to Alaska DA Tracey Lewellyn will be emailed to [email protected].

The encryption requirement will affect all computer laptop systems purchased with FMCSA grants and will therefore impact all states that seek or have received funding for these items.

Alaska requests that the Information Systems Committee discusses the encryption requirement and reviews the conditions provided by FMCSA in the supporting documentation to establish if it is realistic to expect states to meet these conditions.