The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services division has issued a Request for Information on SAM.gov seeking details on near-infrared (NIR) iris biometric cameras capable of capturing both eyes in a single enrollment workflow. The market research exercise covers two distinct product categories: fixed desktop systems for traditional booking environments, and mobile field-deployable devices for use outside permanent facilities.
CJIS operates the FBI’s Next Generation Identification system, which has included an iris recognition service since 2020. The NGI Iris Service stores iris images submitted by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners using Electronic Biometric Transmission Specification Type 17 records — the FBI’s standardized format for iris data exchange. The FBI stated it wants better visibility into which companies are currently active in the NIR iris camera market.
The RFI specifies that any candidate device must capture both right and left irises and produce two compliant EBTS Type 17 records per enrollment. Systems must also handle scenarios in which a subject cannot present one or both irises, such as cases involving injury or medical conditions, while maintaining transaction integrity. Interoperability is described as an overriding requirement: devices must support data sharing across government entities and conform to standards that allow compatibility with other biometric recognition systems.
Integration with existing infrastructure is a hard requirement. The solicitation states that cameras must work with live scan terminals already in place at partner agencies, which use established software workflows to package biometric submissions into EBTS transactions. Vendors would need to demonstrate that adding NIR iris capture does not disrupt existing fingerprint, palm print, or other biometric submission processes.
The bureau’s interest in mobile iris capture points toward field operations. Portable NIR iris systems could enable biometric identification during patrol, at immigration checkpoints, or during correctional intake outside permanent booking stations — settings where fixed hardware is impractical.
The new RFI follows a December 2024 exercise in which the bureau sought market input on biometric matching algorithms for the NGI system, covering tenprint, latent fingerprint, face, and iris modalities. The bureau also issued a separate RFI for a classified multimodal biometric system capable of enrolling several biometric types, posted earlier this month. Together, the solicitations suggest a sustained effort to assess the full technology stack supporting NGI, from matching algorithms to capture hardware.
The NGI Iris Service held approximately 2.5 million enrolled identities as of mid-2023, growing at roughly 100,000 new records per month. Responses to the camera RFI are due March 31, 2026.
Sources: SAM.gov RFI (Opportunity ID: da4d20962a704c0d8a93cef3562ff3c7)
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
