And the Island's security firms are invited to bid on the three-year contract.

An advertisement calling for tenders appears in The Royal Gazette today.

It calls for "established firms experienced in the provision of uniformed security services'' to bid on providing airfield access security.

Interested companies must attend a site meeting on April 24. The deadline for tenders is May 8.

The security officers will be vetted by Police and will form a "dedicated group'' within any security firm that wins the contract, a Base Transition Office spokesman said.

They will have special uniforms and be appointed Airport Security Police Officers under the Civil Aviation Act by the Transport Minister.

On June 1, when Bermuda takes over air operations from the US Navy, the new security officers will start to man three airfield gates that are currently manned by Bermuda Police, a Base Transition Office spokesman said.

On September 1, when the entire US Naval Air Station is turned over to Bermuda, the security officers will be responsible for both access to the airfield and the restricted zone now covered by Bermuda Police.

While there will still be a Police presence at the Airport, handling of security by a private firm is expected to put 12 uniformed officers from the Airport detachment back on the street.

The call for tenders follows months of discussion with Bermuda Police, the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States, the UK Department of Transport, the US Navy, and the Bermuda Government.

The contractor will report to the Airport security manager, who will be part of the Department of Air Operations.

The contractor will have to provide one person per shift at each of the three gates, plus three people for daytime patrol and two people for night patrol.

The gates will be open 16 hours a day, the spokesman said.