Picking Sides

Lockheed's capture executive for VISIT, Dick Fogel-the man charged with securing the contract-says each company brings something unique to the team:

Consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton will focus on business-related areas such as process reengineering and the nebulous task of "change management." In this case, that means getting befuddling procedures at immigration and customs agencies to work together.

Harris Corp. will provide communications expertise. Fogel says that, based on his conversations with Homeland Security, he's not sure which communications systems from the department's component agencies will be included.

Technology mainstay IBM will provide infrastructure development and expertise using Web-based applications.

Vienna, Va.-based Management Systems Designers, one small company in the group, has a background in biometrics for use in law enforcement. The company will help Lockheed develop systems that interface with older ones still in use at Homeland Security agencies.

Defense and intelligence contractor SAIC will bring "enterprise architecture credentials" to the group. It is working with Homeland Security to write the department's architecture. SAIC has worked with Lockheed before on Immigration and Naturalization Service programs.

Unisys contributes experience developing biometrics and enterprise architecture for the Transportation Security Administration. It manages all IT systems and communications work for the TSA.

SI International rounds out the team, bringing what Fogel calls "very deep experience" with the State Department.

Just what role State will play in the VISIT system is a big question. Consular offices overseas, which issue visas, will have to tap into the VISIT network, which will be based primarily in the United States. How that will be done, and how State will work out policies and procedures with Homeland Security, remains to be seen. But the answer is critically important to VISIT's success, technology executives say.