news release

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The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and National Police Services clients to benefit from contract award for the purchase of a new Automated Fingerprint Identification System

October 14, 2005
Ottawa - A contract to supply a modern Automated Fingerprint
Identification System (AFIS) to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) Real Time Identification (RTID) Project was awarded to Cogent
Systems, Inc. by Public Works and Government Services Canada on
October 13, 2005. Cogent Systems, Inc. offered the best-valued proposal
based on technical and financial merit, including AFIS performance testing
results, in response to a comprehensive competitive solicitation.
This contract award is a significant milestone for the RTID Project, which is
designed to improve the efficiency of Canada’s national fingerprint and
criminal record repository. The Project will replace outdated paper
processes and legacy systems with re-engineered workflows and
automation. The RCMP is also undertaking some aspects of the RTID
development in support of the implementation of the new AFIS in the late
fall, 2006.
“Law enforcement and civil agencies rely on the accuracy and timeliness of
these systems to support the safety and security of Canadians,” said
Deputy Commissioner Peter D. Martin, who is the RTID Project Sponsor.
“The AFIS contract award is a significant step in the RCMP efforts to
modernize these essential systems.”
Both private sector and law enforcement clients will benefit from the
improved fingerprint identification services that the RCMP will provide.
Fingerprint services are not only used to verify identification for criminal
purposes, many agencies and organizations rely on fingerprint
identification for security clearances for employment purposes, immigration
requirements, international adoptions and access to information requests.
Improved service will benefit the Canadian law enforcement and criminal
justice communities as well as the Canadian economy.