DHS: technical support for AI/ML to speed up security screening — a ~$5.1M federal contract (USAspending)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ordered about $5.1 million ($5,102,550) for technical support (SETA) to the AI/ML efforts of "Screening at Speed," a program to make security screening faster and more accurate. The recipient is the nonprofit Noblis. It underpins applying AI to security screening at airports and beyond.
Contract key facts
- RecipientNOBLIS, INC.
- Contract value$5,102,550 (≈$5.1M)
- Awarding agencyDepartment of Homeland Security
- Awarding sub-agencyOffice of Procurement Operations
- Award typeDELIVERY ORDER
- Period of performance2023-09-01 〜 2027-03-02
- Contract ID (PIID)70RSAT23FR0000088
Contract scope (original)
SETA SUPPORT FOR SCREENING AT SPEED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MACHINE LEARNING EFFORTS
Key points
- Technical support (SETA) for the AI/ML efforts of DHS's "Screening at Speed" screening research
- Value ~$5.1M, delivery order, performance Sep 2023–Mar 2027
- Recipient: nonprofit research institute Noblis, Inc.
- SETA = neutral systems-engineering/technical support; underpins faster, more accurate screening
- AI entering public-safety (security) settings, not just defense
SETA (Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance) refers to neutral, vendor-independent systems-engineering and technical advisory support provided to government programs.
Why it matters: "Screening at Speed" is known as a DHS research framework aimed at making security screening at airports and elsewhere faster and more accurate while reducing the burden on travelers. Analyzing screening imagery of baggage and people is an area where AI/ML can excel, and this contract underpins that R&D in the form of technical support (SETA). The recipient, Noblis, is a public-sector nonprofit research institute, well suited to providing neutral technical support to government programs. It is an example of AI entering not just defense but public-safety (security) settings (details of individual screening functions are not in the source, so we do not speculate here).
Why it matters
A concrete example of government AI reaching a public-safety field close to everyday life (security screening). Useful for tracking non-defense government AI research and govtech/public-procurement trends.
FAQ
What is SETA?
What is "Screening at Speed"?
Sources (primary)
This article is an independent organization based on the U.S. official spending data below. Verify the exact, latest details with the official source.
- USAspending (award details)
- Contract ID (PIID)：70RSAT23FR0000088