GSA #10091

June 8, 2004
Contact: Eleni Martin (202) 501-1231
eleni.martin@gsa.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 18,000 Smart Cards will be issued to GSA associates and contractors in GSA owned and leased facilities as part of the federal Smart Card initiative, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

“The security of public visitors, federal workers and federal property is a top priority for the entire federal government,” said GSA Administrator Stephen A. Perry.  “Improved security through increased control of access to federal buildings is just the beginning of what these Smart Cards can do.”
 
Today’s announcement indicates GSA’s initiation of a nationwide, centralized, credential management system for GSA associates, a program which is part of the President’s Management Agenda in expanding electronic government.  Advanced technology built into the Smart Chip will further increase security protection standards for access to federal buildings. GSA’s Public Buildings Service was assigned the responsibility of establishing and implementing a common GSA identification card for use by all GSA associates nationwide.

GSA, as a leader in implementing the Smart Card technology within the federal government, also incorporated standard safeguards such as holographs, ultraviolet light and microprinting to prevent cards from being readily duplicated.  The new GSA identification cards are interoperable with Smart Cards issued by other federal agencies, such as the State Department and the Transportation Security Agency. 

GSA selected BearingPoint as the contractor to provide the Smart Cards. Oberthur Card Systems will serve as the central production center where, for the first time, government identification cards will be processed in one centralized location.  This contract, valued at $1.3 million, was awarded October 2003 and will remain in place until August 2008.

Future plans are to offer Smart Cards to tenants in GSA owned and leased buildings.

GSA is a centralized federal procurement and property management agency created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. It acquires, on behalf of federal agencies, office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services. GSA, comprised of 13,000 associates, provides services and solutions for the office operations of over 1 million federal workers located in more than 8,000 government-owned and leased buildings in 2,000 U.S. communities.