Biometrics Consortium

Overview
The Biometric Consortium, supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Security Agency (NSA), exists to faciiltate scientific and technical (S&T) interchanges between the U.S. federal government and outside entities on biometric and other identity technologies in support of Defense, Department of Homeland Security|Homeland Security]], Identity Management, Border Crossing and Electronic Commerce.

The Biometric Consortium organizes a premier conference each fall to promote information exchanges on S&T advancements, operational requirements, and future strategic directions of the biometric and identity communities. Many of the conference's presentations qualify for Continuning Education Units (CEU's) for accrediation and other training requirements, while workshops held within the conference help the community reach consensus on priority issues. The conference's large co-located technology exhibit enables hands-on experimentation with the latest commercial products, and direct interaction with federal program managers. Federal agencies also routinely take advantage of the widely attended conference to host program reviews, advisory board meetings and standards-setting committees on-site. The Biometric Consortium Conference and its associated activities have been one of the most efficient and cost-effective means for the federal government and the private sector to exchange information, drive innovation, and ensure continued advancement of the biometric and identity communities.