ICE Awards $25.1 Million No-Bid Contract for Iris-Scanning Biometric Devices

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $25.1 million no-bid contract to Bi2 Technologies for 1,570 handheld biometric scanners that can identify individuals through iris scans, fingerprints, and facial recognition, according to projectsaltbox.com. The contract, finalized on May 22, is more than five times the amount of a previous contract with the same company eight months prior.

projectsaltbox.comICE Awards $25.1 Million No-Bid Iris-Scanning Contract to Bi2 Technologies

"The contract, finalized on May 22, will provide iris biometric recognition and a biometric information system for ICE agents to authenticate identities during field operations, with devices potentially deployed by late June."

The devices are designed for field operations, allowing ICE agents to authenticate identities on the spot, projectsaltbox.com reported. The contract was published by ICE's parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, according to theregister.com.

theregister.comICE awards $25M contract to Bi2 Technologies for 1,570 biometric scanners with iris, fingerprint, and face recognition

"These handheld scanners can identify individuals through fingerprints, iris scans, and facial recognition technology."

The award raises privacy concerns about the expansion of biometric surveillance beyond the previously known use of face recognition apps, theregister.com noted. The no-bid nature of the contract, which bypasses competitive bidding, has drawn additional scrutiny from privacy advocates.