*The Army plans to negotiate a sole source award with Colorado State University for continued covariate studies and analysis and experimental designs for the National Institute of Standards and Technology sponsored Multiple Biometrics Grand Challenge (MBGC). The goal of the Grand Challenge is for vendors to develop new or improved algorithms intended to improve face and iris recognition capabilities for less than ideal data. CSU will advise on the experiment design and data collection for the MBGC, develop statistical models for jointly analyzing the effects of false accept and verification rates on performance, perform covariate analysis on the Face Recognition Vendor Test and Iris Challenge Evaluation 2006 results, development statistical models for analyzing multi-biometric performance data, and perform statistical analysis of covariates on MBGC performance data.
*The National Academy of Public Administration is expected to receive a sole-source contract from the Coast Guard to conduct a third-party independent review of the service’s modernization program. The review, which will be done for the Coast Guard’s Strategic Transformation Team, will assess the current approach, ensure it supports the commandant’s stated objectives, identify risks and weaknesses, and provide recommendations for program improvement related to 10 action plans known as Commandant Intent Action Orders. NAPA will also analyze the Financial Management Resource Planning functions of the Coast Guard’s Resources Directorate. The Coast Guard will consider responses from small businesses.