Accenture (News - Alert) Federal Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Accenture LLP and a provider of federal solutions, received a five-year contract from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create identity management and credentialing system processes to verify and manage millions of identities for those working at sensitive, secure areas throughout the U.S. transportation system.
As indicated, the contract has a ceiling of $250 million.
“This new identity management and card production capability tool will connect people and information to help facilitate secure travel and trade,” Ken Lawhorn, who leads Accenture’s work at TSA, said in a statement.
Transportation workers are dependent on a secure, timely and cost-effective credential to work at airports, sea ports and other sensitive transportation areas. Accenture will work with TSA to build a system to consolidate credentialing platforms to include case management and customer relations management. The new system aims to provide a customer-friendly enrollment function, creating a system that allows TSA to streamline the credentialing process for applicants through a single channel.
Multiple programs exist to issue credentials and manage identities today for transportation workers, including workers at airports, driver’s licenses to transport hazardous materials and separate identifications for maritime workers. This new process will consolidate these programs into one system over time, improve credentialing for new and existing transportation sector workers, increase consistency of information across multiple programs and provide improved customer service to applicants.
As indicated, the first program to be transitioned will be the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). TWIC is used to secure the nation’s maritime transportation system by providing biographic and biometric identification credentials, such as fingerprints, for personnel requiring unescorted access to secure areas of regulated facilities and vessels.
In related news, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Accenture Federal Services a $3 million, one-year contract to help the Office of Health Affairs enhance its biosurveillance capabilities using social media analytics.
Edited by Rachel Ramsey