Northrop continues biometric ID work

• Tweet

MCLEAN, Va., May 25 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman has received a follow-on U.S. Defense Department task order for continued development of the Automated Biometric Identification System.

The system provides military personnel with reliable and timely identification of people of suspected threats to U.S. national security.

The task order, worth $141 million, was awarded under the Information Technology Enterprise Solutions 2 Services indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command-National Capital Region.

Northrop said it features a one-year base performance period with four, one-year option periods.

Under the terms of the task order, Northrop Grumman will provide systems engineering, software development, infrastructure and performance engineering and modeling and simulation support.

The company will have primary development responsibility of Defense Department-ABIS, including program management, systems engineering, software development, integration, training, disaster recovery, case management, system sustainment, scalability and interoperability.

"DoD-ABIS is a proven multimodal biometric enterprise system that is helping to protect the lives of the warfighter and personnel assigned to U.S. bases worldwide," said Alan Leckenby, director of identity and business solutions for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector.

"Northrop Grumman's broad expertise developing and fielding advanced biometrics applications across defense, civilian and law enforcement environments will be a critical asset to the Defense Department as it maintains its position as a leader and early adopter of multi-modal biometric technologies."

DoD-ABIS is the central repository and authoritative source for Defense Department multi-modal (face, fingerprint, iris and palm) biometric identity records for persons of interest. The network-centric system is accessible worldwide and interfaces with other U.S. government agency data systems.

Northrop Grumman was awarded the initial ABIS development contract in 2006.

Northrop's teammates on the task order include Booz Allen Hamilton, Science Applications International Corporation, Six3 Systems, and SRA International.

Also participating are E&M Technologies, NEW-BOLD Enterprises, White Hall, Ultra-scan Corp., MPL Corp., and STS International.