DHS/OBIM/PIA-005 Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM)-National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST) Data Transfer

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS or the Department) Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), through the Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT), which will be replaced with the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology System (HART), is the Congressionally designated lead provider of biometric identity services for the Department. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve quality of life. DHS and NIST, in support of efforts to increase the accuracy of OBIM’s biometric matching, entered into an Interagency Agreement (IAA or Agreement) for research, development, testing, and evaluation activities. Through engagement with NIST, OBIM can address, focus, and enhance its internal biometric test and evaluation capabilities, techniques, and methodologies. OBIM is conducting this Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to discuss the privacy risks and mitigations surrounding the transfer of operational data to NIST. May 2022