The FBI announced an RFP to buy near‑real‑time access to a nation‑wide network of license‑plate readers, demanding coverage of at least 75% of U.S. locations and its territories. Contracts could be split by region, with up to five‑year terms and a combined ceiling of $36 million. Vendors must supply searchable data on plates, vehicle details, timestamps and geo‑coordinates.

Potential bidders include Flock, which supplies ALPRs to more than 12,000 public‑safety customers, and Motorola Solutions, known for road‑mounted and patrol‑car cameras. The agency expects contractors to provide heat‑maps of camera coverage and to identify data sources such as red‑light or speed cameras. Federal access will be limited by state privacy statutes, notably California and Virginia laws restricting out‑of‑state sharing.

Existing FBI LPR programs already share hot‑list data with local agencies; this contract would extend direct, real‑time querying of a broader camera pool. Critics warn that expanding federal reach could exacerbate privacy concerns and past incidents of mistaken‑plate arrests. The solicitation forces vendors to disclose server locations to verify compliance, cementing a contentious balance between law‑enforcement utility and civil‑rights safeguards.