DHS seeks cutting-edge biometric solutions for border screening

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to identify qualified biometric technologies capable of can automatically identifying travelers at U.S. ports of entry without slowing the flow of commerce and people across U.S. borders.

Co-hosted by the Homeland Security Innovation Hub (HSWERX) and DHS’s Science & Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Technology Transfer & Commercialization (T2C) branch, the initiative will culminate in a virtual Assessment Event scheduled for October 7–9.

DHS is calling on industry, academia, and national labs to propose solutions that are most viable for real-world deployment.

Submissions close on September 21. A virtual question-and-answer session for interested participants is set for September 12, after which DHS subject matter experts will review entries and extend invitations to selected respondents by September 29. Those chosen will present their solutions in one-on-one sessions during the October event, held via Microsoft Teams.

DHS has outlined ambitious performance goals for the technologies it wants to see. Systems must be able to detect and collect biometric data from travelers who are standing, walking, or inside vehicles. They must also match captured data against both trusted-traveler databases and federal watchlists of criminals, immigration violators, and terrorism suspects.

Beyond accuracy, DHS is looking for systems that require minimal operator oversight, work in low-light and extreme heat or cold and integrate seamlessly with existing port of entry infrastructure. The goal, officials say, is to “positively confirm the claimed identity” of each traveler in real time, without causing bottlenecks or disruptions

Although no contracts will be awarded through the RFI itself, successful participants may be considered for a range of follow-on opportunities, including cooperative research and development agreements, prize competitions, and procurement contracts.

DHS notes that awardees may be required to comply with NIST SP 800-171 cybersecurity standards for protecting controlled unclassified information.

This biometrics push is the latest in a series of initiatives by DHS to modernize border security.

The October event builds on this but with a sharper focus on traveler screening at ports of entry. DHS says it wants solutions that can function in the challenging operational environments of airports and border crossings, where lighting, weather, and vehicle traffic complicate biometric capture.

DHS stressed that participation in the event is voluntary and non-binding but could provide companies with a direct path into DHS’s procurement pipeline.

The initiative comes at a time when DHS’s use of biometrics is drawing scrutiny. Programs like CBP’s Simplified Arrival facial recognition system have expanded rapidly in airports and at land borders, prompting concerns from civil liberties advocates about privacy, misidentification, and data retention.

The RFI’s emphasis on real-time matching and integration into enforcement watchlists is likely to intensify debates about how far biometric surveillance should extend into daily life at the border.

DHS officials argue that the technologies are critical for meeting the demands of rising traveler volumes while securing the homeland. By hosting competitive assessment events like this one, they say, the agency can identify the most promising solutions before committing taxpayer dollars to larger deployments.

For industry participants, the event offers a rare opportunity to showcase innovations directly to DHS evaluators and potentially influence the next generation of border security infrastructure.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  border security  |  DHS  |  DHS S&T  |  procurement  |  RFI  |  U.S. Government