FBI postpones $1B award for database upgrade

The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Service Division has delayed the award of a $1 billion, 10-year contract for upgrades to its fingerprint identification databases and related systems until mid-January, about a month later than planned, sources said.

CJIS has been planning the upgrade to its Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System for more than two years and has relied on some contractors to help frame the requirements for the contract.

The division now is considering bids from teams led by three major systems integrators: Northrop Grumman, IBM Corp. and Lockheed-Martin Corp, sources said.

Each of the three companies retains a chance to win the contract, sources said. The schedule delay will allow the bureau's technology managers to complete final phases of their negotiations with the prospective vendors.

The bureau's plans for the IAFIS upgrades include a strong preference for commercial systems as elements of the final product, sources said.