Page 251 - Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS)

236 AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS

about current and future products. From the government’s perspective, par-
ticipation provides access to other governmental users, who may have common
issues and experiences. It also provides a means of keeping its specific issues
before the vendor and advocating for resolution.
Very often, the ability to actively participate in a user group is affected by the
financial fluctuations experienced by governments. A government may impose
restrictions on travel, both within and outside of the state. While this must be
researched and approved first by the entity responsible for compliance with the
government’s ethics rules, it may be possible to include as a cost of the contract
that the vendor pay for the travel, lodging, and meals for a select number of
persons from the government to participate in the user group. This kind of
clause would be especially valuable in those instances where the user group is
composed of international representatives. The governmental entity would still
be responsible for paying the attendee’s salary, but a term and condition of the
contract would be the vendor’s payment of those out-of-pocket expenses. Such
a clause may address the constraints periodically arising when governmental
travel is curtailed.

9.7.6.12 Security Issues
Large-scale systems, like an AFIS, that connect to other large-scale systems
retaining personally identifying information present a certain appeal for attack,
theft, compromise, and malicious or fraudulent use. While the AFIS may not
contain readily identifiable personal information, it is connected to a database
containing such information. Further, an AFIS application that transmits data
over a telecommunication line must thoroughly consider security require-
ments. Such a clause would also incorporate requirements established by the
governmental agency charged with information security.

9.7.6.13 Disaster Recovery
While it is beyond the scope of this chapter to discuss disaster recovery, gov-
ernmental entities need to fully consider the concept of disaster recovery
during the planning stages. If it is intended that the vendor will provide all or
some of these services, it must be addressed in the solicitation. Disaster recov-
ery can be very expensive. If a redundant system is considered as a possible solu-
tion, it would be beneficial to include different licenses for the redundant
system, or perhaps permitting purchase of used equipment.
The concept of disaster recovery runs both ways. The solicitation needs to
make provisions for a disaster occurring at the vendor’s site. Again, the nature
of what must be considered is highly dependent upon the specifics of the AFIS.
At a minimum, this concept is generally covered as part of the escrow and how
the government’s business needs will be protected.