FBI procurement records reveal plans to purchase nationwide access to automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems, potentially enabling warrantless vehicle tracking across the United States. The agency seeks a Software-as-a-Service platform to query license plate data, vehicle descriptions, timestamps, and geolocation information from a centralized database.

The request covers extensive territory including all 48 states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and territories like Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. At $6 million per region, the total contract value reaches $36 million for the FBI's Directorate of Intelligence. ALPR technology captures vehicle details and creates timestamped location records that law enforcement can search retroactively.

Flock and Motorola Solutions emerge as likely bidders, with Flock operating approximately 80,000 cameras nationwide. Both companies already serve federal agencies through pilot programs. The procurement arrives amid growing public concern over surveillance expansion, as communities across the country push back against ALPR deployment.

This represents a significant escalation in federal surveillance capabilities, moving beyond local police tools to nationwide tracking infrastructure. The technology effectively creates a searchable database of American vehicle movements, raising substantial privacy questions about government oversight and Fourth Amendment protections.