Idemia Likely Winner of IRS Biometrics Contract After Compressed RFQ Process

Idemia appears to have secured a contract with the IRS for a multi-biometric identification system after a short “Request for Quotation” process. The solicitation, published on September 25, 2024, required proposals by September 27, leaving little time for other vendors to prepare competitive submissions.

Although the RFQ included a “Brand name or Equal” clause, which allows alternative solutions to be considered if they meet or exceed specified standards, the tight deadline likely ensured that Idemia, which was explicitly named in the request, faced no significant competition.

Contracting Process and “Brand Name or Equal” Clause

The U.S. government’s contracting process is designed to encourage open competition while ensuring that the government acquires goods and services that meet specific needs. The “Brand name or Equal” clause, a standard in many solicitations, allows agencies to name a specific product as a benchmark while allowing other vendors to propose alternatives that meet the same technical specifications.

In this case, the IRS sought a multi-modal biometric identification system with capabilities such as fingerprint, palm, facial, and iris recognition. The system must meet exacting standards, including AI-driven facial recognition with 99 percent accuracy, compliance with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines, and cloud scalability to manage millions of biometric records.

Tight RFQ Deadlines and Competitive Disadvantage

The compressed timeframe further complicates competition. Vendors who were not already familiar with the IRS’s specific needs and technical requirements would have had only two days to submit their proposals. This is a very short window, especially for complex systems involving biometric technology, which typically requires careful tailoring to meet the agency’s needs.

Government RFQs generally allow more time for the submission of proposals to ensure fair competition. However, in this case, the tight deadline likely created a situation in which Idemia, as the explicitly named product, was best positioned to deliver a timely and compliant proposal.

Key System Requirements

In any case, the IRS’s Criminal Investigation (CI) Division will benefit from the awarded system’s advanced biometric capabilities. The system must provide multi-modal biometric support with high accuracy rates, and is also required to operate on a scalable, cloud-based architecture and ensure secure, encrypted data handling for sensitive biometric information.

Interoperability with existing infrastructure is another critical feature, as the system must integrate seamlessly with current IRS systems while allowing for customization to meet specific operational needs. These stringent requirements underscore why the IRS referenced Idemia’s system in the RFQ.

With the deadline now passed, it is highly probable that Idemia has secured the contract, further cementing its position as a key player in biometric technology for the government sector.

Source: SAM.gov

–

September 27, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team