The Excluded Party List System (EPLS) is the electronic version of the Lists of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs, which identifies those parties excluded from receiving Federal contracts or certain subcontracts and certain types of Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits. Agency debarring and other agency officials responsible for including parties on the list now are able to do so electronically, making the lists more current and accurate. And, agency program officials responsible for ensuring awards are not made to ineligible parties and other users of the system including those in the private sector are now able to access and search up-to-date lists simply by using their web browsers.

ISC was awarded the contract to develop the current web-based EPLS to replace a client-server system, which was not capable of accommodating increasing user demand, and to improve responsiveness and reliability for Federal and private sector users. Currently, ISC hosts and operates the system, maintains the system’s hardware and software, supports users, and recommends and undertakes system enhancements. The system establishes varying levels of security and access depending on the identity of the user seeking to access the database and on the function that the user wants to use. For example, agency debarring officials are able to access EPLS to add, remove or otherwise change the status of a debarred party while members of the public can access the data base only to search, view and download information. Demonstrating the government's confidence in the functionality and reliability of EPLS, in December 2003, the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and Defense Acquisition Regulations Council proposed an amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation that would eliminate the paper publication of the excluded parties list and instead provide for agencies to rely solely on the electronic EPLS system.

EPLS, like all of ISC's projects, is designed to be able to evolve to provide enhanced functionality and to insert new technology. In 2003, as an initial effort to improve access to information about potential terrorists, the General Services Administration asked ISC to expand the system's coverage to provide governmentwide and, as appropriate, public access to some terrorist-related databases. They include: the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control's (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons Lists (which include persons and entities whose accounts must be frozen upon deposit at banks and other financial institutions so that no funds can be withdrawn) and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) Denied Persons List (persons and entities that have been denied export privileges for previously violating the export administration regulations).

EPLS in particular demonstrates ISC's ability to integrate the full range of different databases, legacy systems and technologies in use across the Federal government to create a consolidated system that provides a broad range of users seamless, efficient access to current, accurate information.