SubscribeState, DHS grant RFID contracts to speed border crossings
January 17, 2008
“The State and Homeland Security departments this week awarded more than $160 million in contracts for electronic identifying systems using radio frequencies that are designed to speed up border crossings.
The State Department awarded General Dynamics Information Technology a five-year $99.3 million contract for a radio frequency identification passport card that travelers can use at U.S. land border crossings and sea ports of entry. State officials said it expects to start issuing the new cards this spring.” (GovExec)
State, DHS urged to better integrate travel systems
January 17, 2008
“The departments of Homeland Security and State should better integrate their information technology systems that handle international business travel to foster greater efficiency and fewer errors in processing, according to a new report from a DHS travel advisory panel.
The Secure Borders and Open Doors Advisory Committee issued a 51-page study urging the United States to be more welcoming to foreign travelers while also maintaining security. The group aims to reverse a downward trend in overseas travel to the United States. Such travel fell by 17 percent between 2000 and 2006.” (Washington Technology)
Unisys wins Customs RFID tag work
January 16, 2008
“Unisys Corp. has won a task order worth as much as $62.2 million over five years from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to deploy readers and other technologies to support the use of radio frequency identification tags on new identification cards at the U.S. borders.” (Washington Technology)
Federal Ruling Gives States Power to Set Higher Standards for REAL ID Driver’s License, Says Industry Group
January 15, 2008
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s ruling on security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards left the door open for states to set higher standards for secure REAL ID driver’s licenses and e-government services, according to a release from the Smart Card Alliance, a not-for-profit industry association.” (Government Technology)
U.S. Air Force Selects Harris Corporation for $410 Million Network and Space Operations and Maintenance Program
January 15, 2008
“Harris Corporation , an international communications and information technology company, has been selected by the U.S. Air Force for the Network and Space Operations and Maintenance (NSOM) program. The NSOM program contains a base contract and six options that bring the potential overall value to $410 million over six-and-a-half-years. Harris will provide operations and maintenance support to the 50th Space Wing’s Air Force Satellite Control Network at locations around the world.” (CNN Money)
US Department of Homeland Security’s Directorate for Science and Technology Selects Universal Detection Technology to Train First Responders in Countering Bioterrorism
January 15, 2008
“Universal Detection Technology (www.udetection.com) (OTCBB: UDTT) (FRANKFURT: PO8), a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bioterrorism and other infectious health threats and provider of counter-terrorism consulting and training services, announced today that it provided training during the 2008 Homeland Security S&T Stakeholders Conference organized by the Directorate for Science and Technology (S&T Directorate), the primary research and development arm of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to train first responders in bioterrorism detection.” (CNN Money)
BAE Systems to Demonstrate C-MANPADS on Passenger Aircraft
January 14, 2008
“BAE Systems has received a $29 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test an infrared aircraft missile defense system on revenue-producing passenger aircraft. The award relates to the Department of Homeland Security’s Counter-MANPADS (C-MANPADS) program.
The flight program will evaluate the system’s compatibility with daily passenger airline operations and maintenance. There will be no actual testing of the JETEYE system’s missile-defeating capability, as that testing was done at government test ranges last year.” (Trading Markets)
State taps General Dynamics for new passcard technology
January 14, 2008
“The State Department awarded a $72.7 million, five-year contract today to a team led by General Dynamics Information Technology to print the passport card.
The contract calls for one base year and five option years. State’s Logistics Management Office, Management Acquisition unit processed the acquisition.” (FCW)
Cogent Innovations and Lisle Technology Partners Awarded Grants from Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center
January 14, 2008
“The Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Northwestern University (HSIEC), announced it has awarded Challenge Grants to two Illinois companies: Cogent Innovations, Champaign, Ill. and Lisle Technology Partners, Lisle, Ill. The Center—formed to catalyze the development of homeland defense and security technologies, products and services—has now awarded 17 such grants since its inception in October 2005.” (Business Wire)
Chairman Waxman Releases Report on Information Security Breach at TSA’s Traveler Redress Website
January 11, 2008
“In October 2006, the Transportation Security Administration launched a website to help travelers whose names were erroneously listed on airline watch lists. This redress website had multiple security vulnerabilities: it was not hosted on a government domain; its homepage was not encrypted; one of its data submission pages was not encrypted; and its encrypted pages were not properly certified. These deficiencies exposed thousands of American travelers to potential identity theft. After an internet blogger identified these security vulnerabilities in February 2007, the website was taken offline and replaced by a website hosted on a Department of Homeland Security domain.
At the request of Chairman Henry Waxman, Committee staff have been investigating how TSA could have launched a website that violated basic operating standards of web security and failed to protect travelers’ sensitive personal information. As this report describes, these security breaches can be traced to TSA’s poor acquisition practices, conflicts of interest, and inadequate oversight.” (www.house.gov)
