Szykman's new job, plus facial recognition and Air Force satellites plans

Former Commerce CIO lands at Attain

Former Commerce Department CIO Simon Szykman is joining Attain LLC as chief technology officer of the Vienna, Va.-based consulting firm's federal services division.

Szykman stepped down from his role as Commerce CIO in June after seven years at the department, the last four as CIO. He was succeeded by longtime federal IT exec Steve Cooper.

Szykman will oversee federal solutions and lead the firm's strategic corporate alliances and associated market strategies.

Interpol talks facial recognition guidelines

A month after the FBI officially turned on its new biometric identification system, international law enforcement officials met in France to discuss development of global guidelines for facial recognition systems.

Interpol said two dozen technical and biometric experts and examiners from 16 countries convened a two-day meeting in mid-October to produce a 'best practice guide' for the quality, format and transmission of images to be used in facial recognition. The international law enforcement group said the guide will be circulated to all 190 INTERPOL member countries to serve as a guideline for improving the quality of images necessary for accurate and effective facial recognition.

In mid-September, the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division announced full operational capability of the Next Generation Identification System, developed to expand biometric identification capabilities and replace the agency's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System. One of NGI's capabilities is an Interstate Photo System facial recognition service that provides U.S. law enforcement an image-searching capability of photographs associated with criminal identities

Interpol said it is currently developing a facial image system it expects to operational in early 2015, and will enhance its forensic capabilities. Interpol said its facial recognition initiative working group will meet twice a year and serve as its advisory group in this biometric field.

Air Force mulls commercial satellite tracking

As part of Pentagon efforts to leverage commercial satellite capabilities, the Air Force has awarded contracts to study the viability of using commercial operators to help track and command military satellites, Defense Systems reports.

According to a draft solicitation released by Air Force Space Command in April, the commercial provisioning study is intended to determine whether its private-sector satellite operators can help operate the service's satellite control network.

DOD cyber business for Booz

Booz Allen Hamilton will provide "technical support services" to a Defense Department cybersecurity program in a $6.6 million task order, the Pentagon said Oct. 22. BAH will provide the services for the DOD CIO’s Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Support program. The Pentagon described the previously awarded contract as "competitively procured, with two proposals received."