Department of Homeland Security to pay up to $10bn for biometrics

Technology consultant Accenture LLP is to carry out the work over five years. Officials from the department valued the contract between $10 million and $10 billion. The firm competed against Lockheed Martin and Computer Sciences for the contract.

The US-VISIT system has been piloted in 115 airports and 14 seaports since January. The department aims to have the system up and running at all the country's borders by the end of the year.

"Accenture and the other members of the Smart Border Alliance are fully committed to helping the Department of Homeland Security achieve its mission for the US-VISIT program," said Stephen J. Rohleder, group chief executive of Accenture's government operating group. "[This] will provide solutions to current entry and exit problems and modernize computer systems."

The system will be designed to provide iris scanning, fingerprint and photography capabilities at more than 400 airports or seaports.
The announcement was made by Asa Hutchison, the department's undersecretary for border and transportation security.

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