Request for Information: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Combined Face/Iris Collection Device Technical Demonstration Showcase, Invitation for Participants scheduled December 4, 2013 in Atlanta Georgia

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently analyzing the feasibility and affordability of encouraging increased collection of iris data from criminal subjects by state and local criminal justice partners. Fingerprints are well established as the most widely accepted biometric for the purposes of establishing identity for criminal subjects. Facial comparison and recognition is gaining significant traction; "mug shots" have been a staple of the criminal justice system process but only recent advances in the reliability of facial recognition and comparison technologies are bringing face on par with fingerprints as a "must have" biometric. Despite the widely accepted acknowledgement that iris is among the strongest unique biometric identifiers, iris collection and comparison remains nascent. This is due in part to the higher cost of integrating iris sensors into the existing booking process, a more involved collection effort, and the lack of large iris databases for useful services for those organizations collecting and using iris information. Because virtually all state and local law enforcement partners are already capturing facial images during the criminal justice process, State and local criminal justice partners may be more likely to embrace iris collection if it could be accomplished from a single collection platform that also collects facial images. An affordable, user-friendly combined simultaneous face/iris capture platform may be a cornerstone component of the Next Generation Booking Environment for federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies. In order to increase technical familiarity of combined face/iris collection systems among state and local partners and better help sensor developers to understand the law enforcement requirements, the FBI is inviting combined face/iris collection platform vendors to participate in a select technical demonstration showcase in Atlanta, Georgia on December 4, 2013. The technical demonstration showcase will be held in conjunction with the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division's semi-annual Advisory Policy Board (APB) meeting. The APB is comprised of executive leadership from state and local criminal justice organizations covering all regions of the United States, as well as senior representatives from other sectors of the federal criminal justice system, the national security community, and the tribal law enforcement community. The FBI is interested in showcase participants that have developed operational combined simultaneous face/iris collection systems suitable for use in a standard criminal justice "booking" environment, which generally entails: - Controlled collection environment; - Fixed/controllable sensor distances; - Fixed/controllable lighting conditions; - Compliant subjects; - ANSI/NIST standards compliant. Space for this event is extremely limited; the FBI anticipates that a maximum of seven vendors will be invited to participate in the technical showcase. In order to determine vendor suitability, the FBI is requesting that interested vendors attach product material and deployment information along with their expression of interest in attending. All vendor participation requests must be received no later than 11:00 am EST on November 6, 2013. Vendors will receive notification of their selection or non-selection no later than November 15, 2013. Vendors selected to participate will receive additional information about access to the Atlanta showcase location. Participation requests, product material and deployment information and Questions about this event may be submitted via email only to: Michael.Young6@ic.fbi.gov THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Furthermore, we are not seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding vendor's expense. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handed accordingly. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer and consequential damage for any propriety information not properly identified. Propriety information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Propriety information or trade secrets should be clearly identified. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation.