RFIConference.doc

ANNOUNCEMENT

Request for Information (RFI) Conference

For

Passport Card

Held by

U.S. Department of State

Consular Affairs

Consular Systems and Technology and

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs (DoS/CA), in cooperation the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), plans to develop and implement a U.S. card-format passport, a credit-card-size travel document. The Passport Card will be an alternative format document to the traditional book-style passport for presentation at U.S. land border crossings by June 30, 2009 or sooner. The Passport Card is intended to be functional in the DHS People Access Security Service (PASS) system, an integrated, automated border-crossing identification system including programs such as NEXUS, Secure Electronic Network for Travelers’ Rapid Inspection (SENTRI), and Free and Secure Trade Program (FAST).

The Government has issued an RFI to solicit industry input supporting the development/ deployment of the Travel Card including the issuance of a RFP.

The Government will also host an RFI conference to solicit input and answer questions that may aid those responding to the RFI. There will not be any discussion of the specified RFID technology. Those concerns should be addressed in responses to the NPRM: Card Format Passport; Changes to Passport Fee Schedule:

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main

The conference will be held on November 17 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at:

SAIC Towers Conference Center

1710 SAIC Drive McLean, VA 22102 http://www.saic.com/about/mclean-map.pdf

All RFI respondents are invited to attend. Pre-registration is required by November 14, 2006. The Government reserves the right to limit space to a maximum of two representatives from each company/organization. To make reservations, provide your name, company, email address and phone number to: nashaa@state.gov

Program

Passport Card RFI Conference

Held by

U.S. Department of State

Consular Affairs

Consular Systems and Technology and

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Purpose of the RFI Conference:

1. Develop or identify interested sources.

2. Explain Government intent, complex specifications, and requirements not easily communicated through a written document.

3. Explain DHS operational concerns.

4. Gather information that is more effectively obtained from a conference with industry than would be provided by individual responses to the RFI.

5. Aid prospective offerors in submitting better responses to the RFI and in providing later more responsive proposals without undue use of effort, time and money.

Agenda

Passport Card RFI Conference

U. S. Department of State

Consular Affairs

Consular Systems & Technology

And

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Date:

November 17, 2006

Time:

1:00 – 4:00 PM

Location:

SAIC Towers Conference Center

1710 SAIC Drive McLean, VA 22102 http://www.saic.com/about/mclean-map.pdf

Sign-in 30 minutes I. Introductions 15 minutes

Welcome: DoS/CA

II. Description of Passport Card Program 35 minutes Program Background:

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Border Operations:

DHS/CBP

Technical Background:

DoS/CA/CST/PS

Break 20 minutes III. Questions and Answer Session 90 minutes Questions DOS would like answered and issues DoS would like comments on:

1. The Government is concerned with possible interoperability problems with card tags and readers (interrogators) from different manufacturers. How might the RFP be worded to assure chip and reader interoperability?

2. Is requiring ISO 18000 6C certification reasonable? Would requiring such certification assure interoperability?

3. The Government requires the RF tag in each card to carry a unique and unalterable number to be set at chip manufacture. That uniqueness must hold even if multiple chip sources are chosen or if chosen sources change over the life of the Passport Card program. Additionally, the Government requires that the ISO 18000 6C specified tag data format must be adhered to. Can all these requirements be readily and simultaneously met?

4. Issued Passport Cards must be uniform in physical appearance to best protect against altering and counterfeiting. The Government assumes that such physical uniformity is attainable with a mix of high and low/mid volume personalization printers. Is it?

5. Please suggest pre-award product testing that:

· Can assure the Government its performance requirements will be met;

· Will be straightforward and with no adverse schedule impact; and

· Will be fair and reasonable to offerors.

6. Can cards be produced which will last for 5-10 years?