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June 2004

Catapult teams with Accenture on $10 billion US-VISIT project at US Department of Homeland Security

Bethesda, Maryland, June, 2004 - Catapult is a member of the Accenture Team for the $10 billion US-VISIT (US Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator System) contract. DHS US-VISIT incorporates the latest biometric technologies to let legitimate individuals cross U.S. borders while also hampering the ability of illegal visitors to gain access. As a subcontractor, Catapult will facilitate design, development and maintenance of the automated system, which establishes the identity of individuals gaining entry to the U.S., as well as verify identification and alert authorities of national security threats.

The five-year contract, with a five-year extension option, involves a new entry/exit system to be deployed at the nation's more than 400 air, land and sea ports of entry. Recording the entry and exit of non-U.S. citizens to the United States, matching people and their travel documents and confirming compliance with visa and immigration policies, the system will capture entry and exit data of visitors through new biometric technologies, including digital-finger scans and digital photos at the ports of entry.

US-VISIT will enhance the security of U.S. citizens and visitors, while facilitating legitimate travel and trade, ensuring the integrity of the immigration system and safeguarding the personal privacy of visitors and immigrants. The US-VISIT solution is designed as a virtual border, designed to operate far beyond U.S. boundaries to help DHS assess the security risks of all U.S.-bound travelers and prevent potential threats from reaching U.S. borders. It enables DHS locate and remove U.S. travel violators without increasing waiting times at the border, making U.S. border inspectors the last line of defense, not the first, in identifying potential threats.

Accenture