US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has selected Unisys Corporation to develop, operate and manage systems used for risk assessments of cargo entering the United States by the agency’s Targeting and Analysis Systems Program Directorate (TASPD).

The time and materials task order, awarded under the US General Services Administration’s Alliant Government-Wide Acquisition Contract, spans 5.5 years and features a six-month base period followed by 10 six-month option periods. All options are exercisable at the discretion of the government.

This work will support TASPD’s Office of Information and Technology, which provides technology solutions that support CBP inspection and enforcement activities to help the agency protect US borders and facilitate legitimate trade and travel.

The Unisys solution quickly deploys new capabilities like big data analytics, cloud and biometrics to help CBP officers and agents automatically identify which shipments or travelers present a low risk appropriate for “low touch” automated clearance and those that present a higher risk requiring additional investigation or inspection. This process allows CBP to avoid clearance delays by focusing resources on inspecting and analysing high-risk travelers and cargo.

“Border security continues to be a priority for the country, and our work on TASPD is a positive illustration of how technology can be applied to assess risk related to cargo entering and exiting the country each day,” says Unisys Federal group vice president for homeland security and critical infrastructure, Amy Rall. “Unisys is extremely pleased and proud to have the opportunity to continue our partnership with the TASPD organisation and to help secure the nation’s supply chain and support CBP’s layered defense strategy for international cargo and passengers.”

Building on its expertise in providing targeting solutions to DHS, Unisys developed and launched LineSight for international governments in March 2018. LineSight is new software that uses advanced data analytics and machine learning to help border agents more accurately assess risk associated with cargo shipments before admitting them into a country.