TSA gears up for smart-card pilot

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ 
Government Computer News
04/28/03 
TSA gears up for smart-card pilot
By Vandana Sinha 

The Transportation Security Administration has drafted a Reston, Va.,
company to help it develop smart cards that will serve as identification
cards for port, airport, railway and other transportation employees.

TSA chose Maximus Inc. for a $3.8 million contract to test components for
its Transportation Worker Identification Credential program. The agency will
run a pilot this fall in two areas: Philadelphia-Wilmington, Del., and Long
Beach, Calif.-Los Angeles.

The cards will ?plug the holes? caused by employees with ?dubious
backgrounds,? said TSA?s administrator, retired Coast Guard Adm. James M.
Loy, in a statement. A universal smart-card system will keep ?us one step
ahead of the terrorists,? he said.

In preliminary plans, TSA identified six types of technologies and six
potential entry locations at transportation facilities. Some technologies
being considered for inclusion on the cards are magnetic stripes, 2-D bar
codes and biometrics.

The smart-card system?s nationwide rollout will likely begin next year and
ultimately affect 12 million transportation workers. TSA officials said the
program must meet three goals: privacy, security and commerce.

Under the Maximus contract, the development and testing phase will also tap
several subcontractors, including Actcom Inc. of Virginia Beach, Va.;
ActivCard Corp. of Fremont, Calif.; Data Trac/SEI Technology Inc. of
Harrisonburg, Va.; EDS Corp.; and Information Spectrum Inc. of Annandale,
Va. 

The program is behind schedule because TSA took longer than originally
planned to assess pilot sites and choose entry points. But the smart cards
are a priority and the program is ?still going to go forward? despite an
overall agency budget shortfall, CIO Patrick Schambach said last month
http://www.gcn.com/22_5/news/21367-1.html
*******************************



------ End of Forwarded Message

-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
  http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/