On-time award marks important milestone for US-VISIT program
For Immediate ReleasePress OfficeContact: Kimberly Weissman 202-927-8727Bill Strassberger 202-282-8010June 1, 2004
Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary of Border and Transportation Security for theDepartment of Homeland Security, today announced the selection of Accenture LLPto serve as the Prime Contractor for US-VISIT to help strengthen security atAmericas borders and modernize the border management process.
This award marks an important milestone in the history of HomelandSecurity and the US-VISIT Program, said Under Secretary Hutchinson. Byharnessing the power of the best minds in the private sector, we have taken amajor step toward accomplishing our goals of enhancing the security of ourcountry while increasing efficiency at our borders.
The award, made on schedule on May 28, 2004, went to Accenture LLP and itsteam.
The contract covers a base period of five years, with five one-year options. The contract value is for a minimum of $10 million and a maximum of $10billion. The prime contractor will provide a wide range of professional servicesincluding strategic support, design and integration activities, technicalsolutions, deployment activities, training, and organizational changemanagement.
The US-VISITProgram is a top priority for the Department of Homeland Security. US-VISIThas four goals:
- Enhance the security of U.S. visitors and citizens
- Facilitate legitimate travel and trade
- Ensure the integrity of the immigration system
- Safeguard the personal privacy of visitors
Each goal is important, and together they coalesce into a unified objective. The vision of US-VISIT is to deploy end-to-end management and sharing ofdata on foreign nationals covering their interactions with federal officialsbefore they enter, when they enter, while they are in the United States, andwhen they exit. This comprehensive view of border management will eventuallylead to the creation of a virtual border and will set a course for improvedprocesses to manage and share data on foreign nationals.
Since deploying US-VISIT entry capabilities at 115 airports and 14 seaportson January 5, 2004, more than 4 and half million foreign nationals have beenprocessed without adversely impacting wait times. Since its launch in January,the US-VISIT program has helped the Departments of Homeland Security and Stateintercept more than 500 persons with prior or suspected criminal or immigrationviolations. These included convicted rapists, drug traffickers, individualsconvicted of credit card fraud, a convicted armed robber, and numerousimmigration violators and individuals using falsified documents.
Currently, US-VISIT requires that most foreign visitors traveling to theUnited States on a visa and arriving at an air or sea port have their two indexfingers scanned and a digital photograph taken to verify theirentity at theport of entry. By September 30, 2004, this process will also apply to visitorstraveling under the visa waiver program at all air and sea ports of entry.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/us-visit.