CBP - Biometric Entry-Exit

Based upon the results of the recently completed Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), which evaluated the costs and benefits of three facial image biometric solutions using data collected from the 1:1 Facial Comparison Experiment, Departure Information System Test (DIST), and the Otay Mesa Pedestrian Field Test. The team collected actual effectiveness and cost data from the experiments, used the 2019 approved Life Cycle Cost Estimate (LCCE) for the Biometric Entry-Exit (BE-E) Program, and consulted deployment schedules (pre-pandemic). This data led to the calculation of the return on investment (ROI) for each solution. The ROI represents the amount of money saved over time for every dollar spent up front. The CBA compared the life-cycle costs and benefits of developing and maintaining biometric matching systems that leverage the different strategies compared in early entry-exit experiments. For a biometric entry-exit system, it is a comparison of the life cycle benefit of the system to its life cycle cost. The CBA concluded that the investment Biometric Entry-Exit (BE-E) provides a significant return on investment (ROI) 371 % through its utilization of the Traveler Verification Service (TVS), a biometric matching service, which uses a biometric facial algorithm and architecture developed in a cloud hosted environment. TVS provides a biometric matching service for all travel modes including air, sea, and land. The qualitative benefits deriving from this comprehensive solution are being realized today in the commercial air exit environment. The solution builds on a partnership with the air travel industry based on a cost-sharing model with airlines and airports. In this partnership, which now numbers 32 participating airlines and airports. Qualitative benefits that may be realized, especially in response to the global pandemic include touchless travel processes replacing the use of travel documents to facilitate the border crossing experience. Because sea and air operations share a common architecture for TVS, CBP is leveraging the air exit model and established partnership with cruise line operators who will procure, operate, and maintain the biometric capture devices. CBP receives funding from fees collected by USCIS for the BE-E Program. However, the impact from COVID-19 has significantly impacted the fees collected and puts this investment at risk.
The program continues to monitor performance in the strategic business and customer satisfaction categories and appropriately maps to the planned outcomes of having a reliable matching process and increasing the total number of travelers being processed by biometric technology. For example, Metric 105107 measures the biometric matching process cycle time for an individual traveler as they board an outbound international flight and helps to ensure that TVS is not delaying the boarding process. Metric 105105 measures the increase in traveler's who are biometrically confirmed upon departure from the United States and demonstrates the expanding availability of this technology to support the DHS border security mission.

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