Public Safety Department Seeks Info on Digital Badge Solutions

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is gathering vendor feedback for a secure badge solution that would modernize both physical and digital access across the agency.

In a request for information (RFI), DPS outlined its intent to explore market capabilities around a biometric NFC badge that can authenticate users through fingerprint recognition and enable secure access to facilities and systems. The technology would support physical entry through HID-enabled door readers and logical access using passkeys and encryption protocols such as FIDO2, SSH and PGP.

The department’s existing infrastructure no longer meets updated Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) requirements, according to the RFI. To address this, DPS is investigating badges that combine multiple security functions in a single device, storing two fingerprints locally with no biometric export and supporting cryptographic key storage for digital authentication.

Key specifications include compatibility with HID 125kHz and NFC-enabled proximity readers, CTAP 2.1 certification from the FIDO Alliance, and the ability to print identification details on both sides of the badge. The department is also seeking input on centralized provisioning tools, mobile enrollment options and secure mailing for remote distribution.

The agency anticipates use cases for permanent employees and temporary contractors, with varying levels of access and authentication tied to the badge type. Guest badges would not be equipped with biometric or digital access capabilities.

In addition to device capabilities, DPS is requesting information on badge lifespan, LED indicators for user feedback, system integration with platforms like Windows Hello and Azure AD and compliance with standards such as ISO/IEC 14443 and NIST SP 800-63.

More detailed information about RFI No. ITD202504190905, including all minimum requirements and requested services, can be found online. The deadline for question submissions is Aug. 12. Final responses to the RFI are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 4. Vittorio Garcia is the point of contact for this request.