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.