The U.S. Department of Homeland Security expects to seek bids next month on two contracts worth $50 million to $100 million each for biometric identity services at its Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), according to its acquisition forecast.
One record, Biometric Identity Services Support, is a small-business set-aside listed as a follow-on to an existing contract held by AVER LLC. The other, Biometric Identity Services, is listed as a new requirement with no existing contract, and its small-business status is still to be determined. Both show a December 1 estimated solicitation release, a January 11, 2027 anticipated award and a five-year period of performance. Both are planned as firm-fixed-price orders through the GSA Schedule.
The two records describe the same work: biometric examination, identity management and support services, biometric accuracy and quality analysis, and data analysis. A request for information issued in October gives more detail. OBIM is seeking examiners to compare biometric images and render identity decisions when automated matchers cannot, resolve candidate lists and correct errors in stored identities, with support for its Biometric Support Center around the clock. A separate accuracy team would test stakeholder biometric data, vendor matchers, presentation attack detection tools and data quality software.
OBIM says its repository holds the identities of more than 300 million people and currently uses fingerprints, latent prints, face and iris, with capabilities expected to expand. The notice describes the Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) as the current repository and Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) as its in-development replacement. DHS recently awarded Thales a sole-source contract for fingerprint matchers on those systems. The request for information says a formal solicitation may or may not follow.
The forecast separately lists a new 12-month, sole-source blanket purchase agreement, also valued at $50 million to $100 million, for DHS-wide identity, credentialing and access management support. Requested by the Office of the Chief Security Officer, it would support federal goals on screening and vetting, identity management, credential issuance and revocation, secure authentication and continuous monitoring. The record names Dignari, which Ernst & Young acquired in 2024, as the contractor on the existing agreement, and estimates an award on December 11.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has its own larger item in the forecast. Immigration Biometrics and Identity Services, a small-business set-aside valued at more than $100 million, would develop and operate cloud-based applications covering data analytics, machine learning, entity resolution, biometrics and identity management, and scheduling. It shows a December 1 solicitation estimate and an anticipated award on April 22, 2027.
Sources: DHS Acquisition Planning Forecast System, SAM.gov
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
