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GCN Home > 06/21/04 issue

Entry-exit strategy

Project: United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program

By Richard W. Walker, GCN Staff

Agency: Border and Transportation Security Directorate

Description: U.S. Visit automates the process of verifying the identity of foreign nationals at U.S. ports of entry. Officials use digital systems to scan fingerprints and take photographs of visitors traveling on visas. The first iteration was built by integrating legacy systems such as the Ident automated fingerprint identification system. The first phase of the system was rolled out last December at 115 airports and 14 seaports across the country.

Funding: Fiscal 2004 appropriation was $328 million. Proposed funding level for fiscal 2005 is $340 million, a 4 percent increase.

Prime Contractor: Accenture LLP of Reston, Va.

What’s next: Under congressional mandate, U.S Visit must be expanded to the 50 busiest land ports of entry by the end of this year and implemented at all ports by Dec. 31, 2005.

Outlook: The project has many inherent risks, the General Accounting Office said in a recent report. “It is to perform a critical, multifacted mission, its scope is large and complex, it must meet a demanding implementation schedule and its potential cost is enormous,” GAO said. Citing DHS estimates, GAO reported that the program could cost $7.2 billion through fiscal 2014. Also, Congress is considering legislation that would overturn the contract award to Accenture.
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