Engineering & Technical Services

iPower offers a broad range of engineering and technical services. We deliver expert services and solutions for clients with technical needs. For example we provide many of these services to the Army PM DoD Biometrics office under the PEO IEW&S for the Project Level Engineering, Architecture, and Cybersecurity program. Our engineers support the design, engineering, acquisition, deployment, and sustainment of the DoD Enterprise biometric and forensic solutions across multiple operating environments. PM DoD Biometrics systems capture, transmit, store, manage, share, retrieve, and display biometric data for identity management operations. These systems that enable identity dominance on the battlefield and across the DoD include:

  • DoD Automated Biometric Information System (DoD ABIS);
  • Next Generation Biometric Collection Capability (NXGBCC);
  • Biometric Automated Toolset – Army (BAT-A);
  • Near Real Time Identity Operations (NRTIO).

Enterprise Planning

iPower works with clients to plan, develop and manage all aspects of their enterprise. We develop a roadmap for all enterprise components including products, facilities, systems architecture, organizations and their people. Enterprise planning can include a wide range of functions including systems engineering, cybersecurity and acquisition management. We assist in defining and developing capabilities, planning modernization activities, and organizing infrastructure upgrades. We monitor operational status and provide performance metrics. Key activities include:

  • Identify and track milestones on release schedules.
  • Identify emerging standards, regulations and policies that may affect enterprise.
  • Support portfolio management and compliance efforts.
  • Develop 5-year roadmaps and schedules for all enterprise components.
  • Collect and analyze performance data.
  • Monitor, track and report on enterprise performance metrics.

Systems and Data Architecture

iPower works with clients to manage all components of their systems and data architecture:  hardware and software, networking, documentation, procedures and roles. We map the software architecture onto the hardware architecture and describe the human interaction with these components. We document the existing systems and data architecture, and define requirements for the future architecture. Compliance with policies and standards is ensured. We help plan for upgrades and/or replacements. All recommendations and decisions are justified with empirical rationale.

  • Perform architectural technical reviews to ensure compliance with policies and standards.
  • Produce and maintain performance and interface standards, interface control documents, and interface security agreements.
  • Perform analysis of requirements across the enterprise, with a goal of creating architectures where requirements are articulated successfully and gaps are identified.
  • Produce and maintain data diagrams such as Conceptual Data Models (CDMs) and Unified Logical Data Models (LDMs).
  • Analyze and assess performance of architectures in order to make recommendations and develop a plan for improving capabilities.
  • Develop strategies that can be implemented in stages in order to enable a seamless transition into a more efficient and effective system architectures and data structures.
  • Evaluate “As Is” architectures, to include existing capabilities and technical implementations.
  • Produce and maintain “To Be” architectures, ensuring biometric architecture products meet project/product goals and objectives.
  • Produce and maintain architecture training curriculum to include “As Is” architectures; conceptual, logical, and physical “To Be” architectures; DoD enterprise guidance; hardware and software; DoD EBTS specification, and interoperability partners.
  • Analyze architectural artifacts, Technical Authority memorandums, technical requests for information, and compliance inputs.

Systems Engineering

We assist our clients in designing and managing complex systems over their life cycle. We conduct analyses and provide recommendations on complex engineering challenges. Because most systems have an IT component, we provide expertise in cloud-based technology services, commercial off-the shelf product comparisons, and networking topology. We evaluate system components against industry standards. We identify opportunities for performance and security improvements. Other activities include:

  • Analyze overall effectiveness of Systems Integrator engineering processes
  • Define product and project goals.
  • Develop and manage requirements and schedules.
  • Conduct technical reviews of CDRL items and materials provided by the SI in support of technical reviews and audits.
  • Conduct capacity planning to identify and recommend cost effective, optimized designs and configurations.
  • Ensure appropriate balance of functionality, scalability, performance, and transactional capacity against peak workload demands and continuity of operations requirements.
  • Prepare key Systems Engineering documentation required for a DoD Acquisition Program in accordance with AR 70-1 and the DoD 5000 Series.

Biometric/Forensic Engineering

We assist our clients with all technical and management aspects of Biometric Authentication and Forensic Engineering. We work with clients to develop solutions to complex problems. We perform technical reviews of technologies. We ensure adherence to industry standards and best practices. We research technology and other applications for relevance to our clients’ application. We review program performance, identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations.

  • Assess current systems for alignment with industry standards, including
  • DoD biometric enterprise
  • National Information Exchange Model (NIEM)
  • DoD Electronic Biometric Transmission Specifications (EBTS)
  • International standards (ISO/IEC 24745)
  • Analyze current systems and transactional trends to propose solutions to reduce Type 1 and Type 2 biometric errors.
  • Conduct technical reviews of
  • Iris Exchange (IREX)
  • Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT)
  • Multiple Biometric Evaluation (MBE)
  • Face in Video Evaluation (FIVE)
  • Review Multiple Biometric Grand Challenge (MBGC) and NIST Special Publications for applicability. Make recommendations.

Cybersecurity

We assist our clients with all technical and management aspects of protecting their systems’ hardware, software, networks and data. We analyze current efforts to identify opportunities for improvement. We ensure technologies and processes adhere to industry and organizational standards, policies and directives. Specifically, we provide the following services in support of cybersecurity management:

  • Prepare and maintain all Certification & Accreditation (C&A) artifacts and documentation in accordance government requirements, for example with DoD and Agency Instructions, Directives, Policies, and Regulations, DoDD 8500, DoDI 8510.01, and the Risk Management Framework (RMF).
  • Ensure products comply with current and/or successor versions of the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 [Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), 44 U.S.C. § 3541], DoD Directives (DoDDs), DoD Instructions (DoDIs), Agency policies, and regulations regarding net-readiness.
  • Assess cybersecurity strategy for relevance and alignment with overall systems engineering efforts.
  • Input and maintain artifacts for products and systems into the Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS).
  • Execute the Information Assurance Vulnerability Management (IAVM) process to ensure dissemination, reporting, and compliance.
  • Provide engineering and technical assistance to support vulnerability scans, penetration testing, vulnerability analysis, scan analysis, and security analysis.
  • Execute and analyze information from required scanning tools (e.g. Assured Compliance Assessment Solution (ACAS), Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP), as well as commercial products, such as Fortify and CAST).
  • Execute cybersecurity monitoring and reporting to ensure compliance, including the development and maintenance of POA&Ms.
  • Track and report on all mandated cybersecurity training and certification requirements compliance and ensure all cybersecurity personnel meet and maintain all required training and certifications as directed in DoD 8570.01-M and AR 25-1.

Test & Evaluation

We assist our clients with the technical and management aspects of testing and evaluation, including:

  • Coordinate all test-related certifications and evaluations such as interoperability; security; financial management and improvement; and other special test events, as required.
  • Ensure alignment with the DoD 5000 Series.
  • Develop/update Test and Evaluation Master Plans (TEMP).
  • Support operational and interoperability test oversight activities, including planning and coordinating all Operational and Interoperability Test activities and confirming configuration baselines of test labs/environments.
  • Support developmental test oversight activities, including reviewing and providing feedback on the System Integrator’s test strategies, plans, procedures, scenarios, scripts, reports, and test results, and witnessing test events on behalf of the Government.
  • Assist with the planning, development, and execution of Test Event Plans to include test procedures, scenarios, scripts, data collection, and reporting.
  • Assist in the planning, preparation, and conduct of Test Readiness Entrance and Exit Test Reviews.
  • Assist with the development and delivery of test reporting products (e.g., reports, briefings, metrics, etc.).
  • Assist with the development, maintenance, updates, and staffing of the Integrated Master Plan and Integrated Master Schedule for each product.
  • Coordinate with J-6 Interoperability & Supportability activities (Certification, Testing, and Validation).
  • Coordinate with Working Groups and IPTs to develop schedules, prepare agendas/briefing slides, and prepare/distribute meeting minutes.