U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is surveying potential suppliers for 12 full-time-equivalent ten-print examiners to support fingerprint comparisons and related expert testimony. Responses to the sources-sought notice are due July 27.
A ten-print examination compares the complete set of fingerprints collected from a person with known or questioned records. USCIS wants examiners who hold current International Association for Identification certification and can produce findings suitable for federal court proceedings.
The contemplated work covers a 12-month examination period, with testimony support available for as long as three years. Examiners would work offsite using government-furnished equipment and systems rather than operating from a USCIS facility.
The notice requires use of the analysis, comparison, evaluation and verification method, commonly known as ACE-V. It also calls for contractors to maintain laboratory controls aligned with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the corresponding accreditation requirements used for forensic testing.
Where access is available, examiners may use the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Next Generation Identification platform and other automated fingerprint systems to conduct searches. An automated candidate list does not itself establish identity; a certified examiner evaluates fingerprint detail and documents the conclusion.
The request is market research, not a contract award or a formal solicitation. USCIS is using responses to assess available capability and acquisition options before deciding whether and how to proceed with a procurement.
The requirement is narrower than the Department of Homeland Security’s enterprise biometric-matching inquiry, which examined software spanning multiple modalities and agencies. This notice focuses on human forensic capacity for ten-print casework and testimony.
It nevertheless sits within a broader debate over the agency’s use of identity data. USCIS has separately faced criticism over a proposal to expand biometric collection and use. The present notice concerns examination services for fingerprints already available to authorized casework rather than a new collection rule.
The notice does not guarantee that an award will follow. Interested firms are being asked to describe staffing, accreditation and technical capability so USCIS can determine whether the market can meet the requirements.
Source: SAM.gov
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
