Identity, Security, Payments, Biometrics, Smart Cards and Authentication News

Unisys awarded Port of Los Angeles TWIC contract

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

The Port Authority of Los Angeles has contracted with Unisys Corporation to design and manage an identification and access control system, using smart card and biometric technologies, to identify workers who require access to restricted areas in the port. The three-year contract is part of the federal Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) program.


Unisys will plan, design, develop and manage a field test of the new system and help participating terminal operators integrate TWIC-enabled access control systems using a tamper-resistant credential, or smart card. The card will include a biometric component - a fingerprint template - and a digital photograph.

“The benefit to our customers – and to the constituents they serve – is their ability to mitigate and manage risk,” said Tom Conaway, managing partner, Homeland Security, Unisys. In addition to the TWIC project, Unisys has been the integrator for several other large-scale global identity programs, including: Australian passports, MyKad, Malaysia, Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC), and the Port of Halifax. [end] 

Multimodal biometric security provider ImageWare Systems Inc. has released version 2.0 of its Biometric Engine (BE) physical security identification product.

This product is designed for airports, seaports and other critical points-of-access for government and private enterprises. This update takes into account the SAFE Port Act, which requires foreign shippers to secure cargo being shipped to the U.S. and ensure the identity of those loading it. Shippers must manage this by 2013.

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The Port Authority of Allegheny County has released an update on its intended roll out of a contactless smart card transit system, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The project was originally put on hold due to issues with the new fare boxes.

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The California Department of Insurance (CDI) has awarded a two-year contract to Chicago-based Accurate Biometrics to perform its livescan and cardscan fingerprint collection and transmission services.

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The Los Angeles World Airports, which oversees airport operations for the city of Los Angeles, has awarded a contract modification to Unisys to upgrade its access control and alarm monitoring system that is used to identify the 45,000 airport employees, contractors, police and others who work at the organization’s three airports.

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The U.S. government’s Advanced Analytic Capabilities Subgroup of the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) has awarded a research and development contract to voice biometrics technology provider Agnitio Corp. to speed up development and deliver an improved capabilities for voice biometrics-based mobile phone security.

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3M Cogent announced that it’s biometric access control readers have passed the United States Transportation Security Administration’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Initial Capability Evaluation (ICE) assessment.

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