US Coast Guard moves to replace aging biometric credential readers

The U.S. Coast Guard issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to replace its aging handheld biometric readers with a new generation of devices capable of verifying Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) and foreign-issued Seafarer Identification Documents (SID) in the field.

The RFP calls for a firm-fixed-price contract that will deliver the devices, associated accessories, extended warranty coverage, software configuration and testing, and multi-year technical support.

The base performance period will run from December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026, with four one-year option periods extending through November 30, 2030. Delivery of the readers and support services must reach Coast Guard units within 60–90 days of the award of a contract.

The requirement stems from both equipment lifecycle and policy changes. The Coast Guard’s current handheld multi-mode biometric readers have reached the end of their service life. Compounding the need, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has changed the definition and location of the electronic Canceled Card List (CCL) and the Visual Canceled Card List, a list of TWIC cards that have been canceled by TSA and are available for visual inspection.

TSA’s TWIC program provides tamper-resistant “smart cards” to U.S. merchant mariners, longshore workers, truck drivers, port employees, and others.

The Coast Guard uses handheld readers during vessel and facility inspections and spot checks to confirm that a credential is valid and that the holder matches the biometric fingerprint template embedded in the card.

The technical requirements in the Statement of Work are detailed and prescriptive. Readers must be fully compliant with TSA’s TWIC Reader Hardware and Card Application Specifications, Version 1.1.1, and where that specification differs from the Statement of Work, the Coast Guard’s requirements take precedence.

Devices must be capable of authenticating TWIC cards in operational modes 1–4, and for NEXGEN TWIC cards, modes 5–6. They must also authenticate Common Access Cards (CAC), Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards, PIV-Interoperable (PIV-I) cards, and SIDs.

The readers must support both contact and contactless TWIC validation, have a maximum contactless read range of ten centimeters, and must reject all presented cards if more than one is detected in the contactless field.

When a NEXGEN TWIC is read contactlessly, the device must display the cardholder’s photo. Standard maximum transaction time is three seconds. All biometric and credential validation functions must be available offline, with no requirement for Wi-Fi or other connectivity in the field.

Ruggedness is a core requirement. Devices must weigh no more than five pounds, operate at least 12 hours on a rechargeable battery, and include a hot-swappable spare battery and docking station capable of charging both the reader and the spare.

They also must meet MIL-STD 810F environmental standards for vibration, high and low temperature, humidity, temperature shock, and impact, including the ability to withstand 26 drops from four feet. The devices must also be capable of one million uses without degradation and have a mean time between failures of at least 25,000 hours.

The Coast Guard has specified onboard storage sufficient for stand-alone operation, along with compliance to PIV and PIV-I standards and the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Risk-Based Performance Standard 12. All fingerprint sensors and card interfaces must be embedded in the reader’s chassis; peripheral attachments are not permitted. A finger guide is required to ensure correct finger placement.

Biometric matching must achieve an equal error rate of one percent, with the ability to adjust sensitivity. The reader must automatically identify credential types without user input, check all certificates on the card, and retrieve all data directly from the card application. Readers must be able to update the CCL over an encrypted Wi-Fi connection, store the list locally for offline validation, and issue an alert if the list is older than 24 hours.

Logging requirements call for capturing the full Federal Agency Smartcard Number, timestamp, pass/fail result, and a transaction summary that includes CCL validation results, certificate checks, and biometric match outcomes. Logs must also capture the name and photograph of the credential holder. Data must be exportable via encrypted Wi-Fi to Coast Guard-designated addresses, with automatic purging from the reader after confirmed secure upload.

The solicitation also requires a Coast Guard–specific reporting portal. The portal must use encryption for data in transit and at rest, role-based access control, and optional multi-factor authentication.

Archive logs must be retained for at least two years, provide Department of Homeland Security certificate revocation lists to the handheld devices, and allow reports to be downloaded in .csv or .pdf format without deletion by the user. Access is restricted exclusively to the Coast Guard, with any third-party support access requiring Coast Guard approval.

The vendor must provide computer-based and online training so that Coast Guard personnel can operate the devices with TWIC, SID, CAC, and other standard biometric credentials, as well as basic troubleshooting.

The Coast Guard has identified the MozaicID Mobile Credential Reader V3 as its preferred model, along with specific accessory part numbers for the spare battery, docking station, and software configuration package. Alternates will be considered only if they are already listed on TSA’s self-certified approved products list and meet or exceed all requirements in the Statement of Work.

Proposals will be evaluated using a best value tradeoff process. Technical capability and past performance are weighted more heavily than price, although all three factors will be considered.

Technical evaluations will measure the extent to which the proposed equipment and support services meet the stated requirements, the soundness of the staffing and management approach, and the plan for software maintenance and updates.

Past performance will assess relevant experience and reliability. Price will be evaluated for fairness and reasonableness, but the Coast Guard makes clear it is prepared to award to a higher-priced offer if it provides superior technical merit or a stronger performance history.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  document reader  |  document verification  |  identity document  |  law enforcement  |  rfp  |  tender  |  TWIC  |  U.S. Government