FIVE Application

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Application to Participate in the Face In Video Evaluation (FIVE)

1. Who Should Participate 

1.1. Biometric identification technology researchers and developers from industry, research institutions, and 

academia are eligible to participate in the Face In Video Evaluation – hereafter referred to as the “FIVE.”

1.2. Anonymous participation is not permitted. 

2. How to Participate 

2.1. To request participation in the FIVE, potential Participants must read this application (Application to 

Participate in the FIVE), sign the “Request to Participate” section below, attach business cards from each of the 

signing parties, and send it to the address below (Paragraph 5.8). Signatures of both the Responsible Party and 

the Point of Contact are required. 

2.1.1. The Responsible Party is an individual with the authority to commit the organization to the 

terms in this document. 

2.1.2. The Point of Contact (POC) is an individual with detailed knowledge of the technology applying 

for participation. 

2.1.3. In some cases, the Responsible Party and the POC may be the same person. 

2.2. Upon receipt of the signed application by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the 

organization will be classified as a “Tentative Evaluation Participant.” NIST must receive this signed application

with the algorithm prototypes. Algorithm prototypes shall be submitted as Software Development Kit(s) (SDK). 

They may be submitted during the submission period from November 17, 2014 to October 5, 2015. The 

application is required to be submitted with the first SDK submission; subsequent submissions do not require 

additional applications.

2.3. It is the Government’s desire to select all Tentative Participants as Participants. However, if demand for 

participation exceeds the Government’s ability to properly evaluate the technology, the Government will select 

Participants on a first come - first served basis. 

2.4. The FIVE will evaluate face recognition in video using input biometric samples. The samples may be images 

or sequences of frames from video.

2.5. More information regarding the instructions, input and output formats, and technical specifications for each 

of the above tasks is included in the FIVE: Concept, Evaluation Plan, and API available at

http://www.nist.gov/itl/iad/ig/five.cfm.

2.6. SDKs submitted must be compliant with the FIVE protocol and must be delivered to NIST (at the address in 

paragraph 5.8 below) during the submission period given in paragraph 2.2 according to the technical 

specifications given in the FIVE: Concept, Evaluation Plan, and API. These require use of strong encryption.

3. Points of Contact 

3.1. The FIVE Liaison is the government point of contact. 

3.2. All questions and correspondence should be directed to the FIVE Liaison at five@nist.gov. Questions and 

correspondence will be received by the FIVE Liaison and other FIVE personnel. 
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3.3. The answers to questions and correspondence will be provided as updates to the FIVE: Concept, Evaluation 

Plan, and API.

3.4. Interested parties and Participants should not contact any individual member of the FIVE staff. 

4. Release of FIVE Results

4.1. Interim results will be provided to Participants as a series of test report cards as described in the FIVE: 

Concept, Evaluation Plan, and API. These results will not identify Participants; instead results will be associated 

with random identifiers. The report cards may be provided to Government personnel.

4.2. The Government will release FIVE results in Final Report(s), which will identify all Participants along with all 

of their results. The FIVE Final Report(s) will contain, at a minimum, descriptive information concerning the FIVE, 

descriptions of each experiment, and performance results. 

4.3. Participants will be notified of the public release of the FIVE Report(s). 

4.4. After the release of the FIVE Final Report(s), Participants may decide to use the results for their own 

purposes. Such results shall be accompanied by the following statement: “Results shown from the Face In Video 

Evaluation (FIVE) do not constitute endorsement of any particular product by the U.S. Government.” Such results 

shall also be accompanied by the Internet address (URL) of the FIVE Final Report(s) on the FIVE website. 

5. Additional Information 

5.1. NIST will use the Participants SDK software only for the agreed-upon Evaluation, and in the event errors are 

subsequently found, to rerun prior tests and resolve those errors. NIST agrees not to use the Participants 

software for purposes other than indicated above, without express permission by the Participant.

5.2. This is a Software Development Kit (SDK) test. It will be carried out at a NIST facility.

5.3. Performance results will be publicly attributed to Participants and their SDKs in the FIVE Final Reports. 

5.4. Software that is not compliant with the FIVE protocol specifications cannot be tested.

5.5. In order to be tested, SDKs must install easily (i.e., one installation step with no Participant interaction 

required), and shall be executable on any number of machines without requiring any machine-specific license 

control procedures or activation.

5.6. Participant agrees to hold harmless the FIVE Sponsors, staff, contractors and all agencies of the U.S. 

Government for any harm or damage incurred in the course of participating in the FIVE. 

5.7. The Government is not bound or obligated to follow any recommendations that may be submitted by the 

Participant. The United States Government and individual agencies are prohibited from, in any way, giving any 

special consideration to FIVE Participants or any other party on future procurements, contracts or 

collaborations. 

5.8. By signing this application, Participants acknowledge that they understand and agree to the provisions of

this form and the technical specifications in the FIVE: Concept, Evaluation Plan, and API.

5.9. Original signed copies of the FIVE application are required. Original, signed copies of this application, with 

business cards from both signing parties attached, must be mailed to the address below. These must be signed 

paper hardcopies. Scanned documents submitted via email are not acceptable. Please send an email message to 

five@nist.gov stating that you have sent your application. Upon receipt of your application, we will send you a 

confirmation email message. 
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Mailing Address: 

FIVE Liaison

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

Information Access Division (894) 

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8940 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8940 

Participants should complete the box below per the instructions for transmission of encrypted 

content to NIST as defined in the FIVE: Concept, Evaluation Plan, and API document and available at 

http://www.nist.gov/itl/iad/ig/encrypt.cfm. If preferred, participants can fax their public key to the 

FIVE Liaison at 301-975-5287 with email notification to five AT nist DOT gov

Participant's public-key 

fingerprint (enter here)

NIST's public-key fingerprint 9324 8FDD ECAB C2D2 FF15 DDCB EB78 5B1A 9841 9234
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Request to Participate 

With my signature, I hereby request consideration as a Participant in the Face In Video Evaluation (FIVE), 

and I am authorizing my company or organization to participate according to the rules and limitations listed 

in this document. 

With my signature, I also state that I have the authority to accept the terms stated in this document. 

 ______________________________________________________ ______________

 SIGNATURE, TITLE AND ORGANIZATION OF RESPONSIBLE PARTY DATE

 _______________________________________________________________________

 PRINTED NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS OF RESPONSIBLE PARTY

 ______________________________________________________ ______________

 SIGNATURE, TITLE AND ORGANIZATION OF POINT OF CONTACT DATE

 _______________________________________________________________________

 PRINTED NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS OF POINT OF CONTACT