- Proposals are due Sept. 18, eight days after the solicitation was posted
- Five separate tracks cover fingerprint, facial, iris, palmprint and multi-modal devices
- DHS will make the vehicle mandatory for its own components
The Department of Homeland Security is seeking proposals for a government-wide multiple-award contract to supply biometric capture devices, with a ceiling of $440.7 million.
Proposals are due Sept. 18, eight days after the solicitation was posted on SAM.gov on Sept. 10. Questions are due Sept. 14.
The Office of Procurement Operations plans indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts permitting firm-fixed-price orders, running one base year and four option years. All warranted contracting officers across the federal government may place orders.
Identity and data architecture at DHS will be on the program at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Homeland Security Summit, set for Nov. 10 at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia. A panel titled “One Mission, Many Components: Building a Federated DHS Data and Identity Fabric” will take up the subject. Register now to hear from agency decision-makers.
How Are the Biometric Device Tracks Structured?
The solicitation divides the work into five tracks: fingerprint, facial, iris, palmprint and multi-modal devices. Offerors may bid on one, several or all, but each track requires a separate proposal.
DHS anticipates a minimum of three awards per track with no maximum, and said it may raise or lower those numbers at its discretion.
Estimated values by track run from $17.6 million for iris devices to $258.3 million for multi-modal. Fingerprint and palmprint share an aggregated estimate of $132.3 million, while facial devices account for $32.6 million. Those figures are estimates only and do not establish separate ceilings.
Why Is DHS Consolidating Biometric Device Buying?
Components and other agencies have historically bought biometric devices through one-time procurements spread across government-wide acquisition contracts, DHS strategic sourcing vehicles and stand-alone contracts, according to the solicitation. DHS said those methods resulted in fragmented purchasing, inconsistent standards and limited economies of scale.
The department plans to make a mandatory designation for use by DHS and its components, while also opening the vehicle to other federal agencies.
The contract covers devices and peripheral equipment only. Ancillary services must be acquired separately.
What Does the Solicitation Say About the FAR Overhaul?
Every clause in the solicitation cites a FAR class deviation issued under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, which the department implemented following Executive Order 14275 in April 2025.
The deviations span Parts 5, 9, 12, 15, 16, 27, 33, 42 and 47, among others. The solicitation renders each citation as “RFO FAR” throughout.
Awards will use a “Highest Technically Rated with a Fair and Reasonable Price” basis, with no trade-offs between price and non-price factors. Device availability is evaluated pass/fail against minimum essential requirements; the technical approach receives a confidence rating; and price is evaluated for fairness but not rated.
