Bureau of Prisons mulls eDiscovery computers for inmates

WHAT: An electronic discovery tool for federal inmates.

WHY: Inmates in federal prisons are entitled to have access to materials to participate in their defense, and to pursue civil litigation. Traditionally, this has meant trips to institutional law libraries, or having materials delivered to an inmate's cell. Now the Bureau of Prisons is looking to give a 21^st-century refresh to the exercise of constitutional rights by inmates, with a request for information to vendors for an eDiscovery solution that meets the particular security needs of prisons.

While there isn't yet an active solicitation, the Bureau of Prisons is seeking cost information on a combined hardware-software eDiscovery system that can be used on desktop computers in common areas by inmates in general population or potentially on tablets by inmates who are housed in more restrictive units. The restrictions on the hardware for inmate use are considerable. It must squelch network communication via wireless, Bluetooth, or cable; ban access to root file and boot partitions to prevent modification at the system level or potential reprogramming by computer savvy inmates; and block access to programming tools like macros, application programming interfaces or scripts.

Because an eDiscovery machine for inmates would be shared by multiple users, the device cannot store user data between sessions, and should restart or reboot upon logout. The system would be required to support a variety of file and media types, covering anything that might be used in evidence at trial. In addition to a host of document viewers, the eDiscovery system would have to support spreadsheets, presentation software like PowerPoint, graphics, audio and video.

The BOP is seeking responses from vendors by August 7. Click here to read the full RFI.