"We are committed to creating more efficient borders that will allow a more convenient crossing experience, as well as contributing to the overall security of our nation by knowing the identity and citizenship of every traveler," said CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. "This technology deployment is a tremendous step toward both of those goals."
This deployment is a technology upgrade that will enable the nation's top 39 land ports to read secure RFID-enabled documents. The top 39 ports account for 95 percent of all land border crossings into the United States.
The technology upgrade includes the passport card, slated for production by the State Department this spring, as well as enhanced driver's licenses being produced by several states, including Washington beginning this month, and Canadian Provinces. The traveler's data is transmitted via a unique number that connects to CBP's secure databases, where biographic, citizenship and identification information is stored. No personal information is stored on the cards themselves or in the RFID chips.
Vicinity RFID technology was announced as a solution to both security and expediting needs for border management in October 2006. The technology has been used in CBP's trusted traveler programs NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST since 1995, and is a proven means of speeding traffic while automating law enforcement security checks that are otherwise performed manually by CBP officers.
This award and acquisition was made through an open, best value competition among 16 prime vendors under Functional Category 1 (Infrastructure Engineering Design, Development, Implementation, and Integration Services) under existing Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading-Edge Solutions (EAGLE) contract. The task order is a firm-fixed price type contract, with a total performance period of five years: one one-year base period and four one-year option periods.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Program Management Office within CBP serves as executive agent for this acquisition and deployment.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
