The Boeing Co. has landed a contract from the Department of Homeland Security to implement SBInet, the Secure Borders Initiative, along northern and southern U.S. borders.
The program was announced in 2005, and companies aligned bid proposals in early summer 2006 to land the SBInet proposal. The SBInet portion of the Secure Borders Initiative is the development of a technological infrastructure that facilitates a wide variety of sensors and detection devices, and which enables that data to be fed to core operations centers. The SBInet initiative is expected to use many of today's cutting edge surveillance and identification technologies.
“SBInet will integrate the latest technology and infrastructure to interdict illegal immigration and stop threats attempting to cross borders,†said DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff in announcing Boeing's receipt of the contract. “This strategic partnership allows the department to exploit private sector ingenuity and expertise to quickly secure our nation’s borders.â€
The DHS is working on a model of the entire border system, and then will deploy border security improvements of the SBInet to the Southwest U.S. border first. The contract for the SBInet is estimated to be worth approximately $67 million, and is good for three years before Boeing is moved to an annual contract renewal process.
The Boeing-led SBInet team proposal included such contractors as: DRS Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, a Palm Bay, Fla., provider of integrated products and services to military and intelligence agenices; Kollsman, a New Hampshire company that provides advanced electro-optical and avionics systems to the military; L-3 Communications, a D.C. firm providing integrated security and communications systems; Perot Systems, a Texas firm providing IT and business services, and Unisys, a Virginia firm specializing in all aspects of information technology infrastructure.
