$386M US biometric ID management contract goes to defense contractor

The U.S. government has awarded defense contractor General Dynamics a three-year, $386.3 million contract to operate its biometric ID management infrastructure.

General Dynamics Information Technology was the sole bidder on the contract, which also makes the company responsible for the IT underpinning the Department of Homeland Security’s Data Center 1.

General Dynamics will operate and maintain the Office of Biometric Identity Management under the government’s Alliant 2 contract vehicle.

OBIM is managing the replacement of the Automated Biometric Identification System, or IDENT, with the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology, or HART, system. That budget-busting project is behind schedule.

OBIM will play a large role as European countries and the United States negotiate data sharing agreements after negotiations with the EU foundered.

General Dynamics also won $320 million in contracts for visa services in South America, including biometric enrollment, from the State Department last July.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  General Dynamics  |  government purchasing  |  OBIM  |  U.S. Government