Government ID, Smart Cards, Identification and Authentication

IBM signs deal for UK passports

Friday, July 10, 2009

IBM has inked a seven-year deal to provide elements of the UK government’s plans to upgrade to biometric passports, according to a Tech Generation report. The deal is valued at more than $432 million.

IBM will provide a replacement for the UK Border Agency’s Immigration and Asylum Fingerprint System which holds biometrics collected from visa applicants. The contract will also cover running the database that will store the facial images and fingerprints needed to keep the passport in line with international standards.

IBM will manage the project as the prime contractor, Atos Origin will provide systems integration and operations support, while Sagem Securite will supply biometric services and software.

The UK’s electronic passports containing contactless smart card chips with facial images and fingerprints will start to be issued from 2011.

Read more here. [end] 

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