Identity Strategy Partners Awarded U.S. Army Innovation Award for Contactless Physical Access

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Identity Strategy Partners (IdSP) has been awarded a Phase 1 U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project to enable the development of a next-generation secure and contactless biometric physical access control solutions known collectively as the Pandemic Entry & Automated Control Environment (PEACE).

"We are excited to help the U.S. Army move beyond reliance on physical Common Access Cards, enabling its personnel to gain access to authorized spaces in a hygienic, secure and rapid way. We will achieve this by integrating innovative access control processes and best-of-breed biometric technologies with existing DOD infrastructure." - Janice Kephart, CEO, Identity Strategy Partners

About PEACE
The PEACE project aims to create a biometrically-enabled access control solution that leverages existing U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) data to achieve an automated, secure, accelerated entry environment for physical access while incorporating solutions to the health issues highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Phase 1 will see the creation of an enterprise-grade end-to-end face recognition-based solution. Subsequent phases are anticipated to lead to production of a commercially-viable product customized to U.S. Army requirements.

PEACE will address different physical access scenarios. It aims to eliminate the need for personnel to use the Common Access Card ("CAC card"), the standard identification card for both uniformed and civilian DOD personnel, for routine access tasks. The current card-based system is robust yet slow, leading to long lines, presents hygiene risks to supervising officers and personnel entering buildings, yet has scope to incorporate next-generation technology and security. Through this SBIR, Team IdSP will help speed and simplify access, and reduce risk of pandemic exposure, to the potential benefit of all DOD personnel.

About Team IdSP
Team IdSP consists of two small businesses specializing in biometrics and identity. IdSP is an economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business with a niche in U.S. government identity. IdSP is based out of the Washington, D.C. area and has supported DOD Program Manager Biometrics, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Biometric Management, and the Pentagon at its Identity Intelligence Directorate over the past three years.

IdSP's teammate for this project is Tascent Inc., a small business based in Silicon Valley. Its suite of biometric devices and software makes it easy for partners to integrate and deploy robust, intuitive, multimodal biometric identity systems in challenging environments in both public and private sectors. Tascent's focus is to innovate and create products that address unmet needs for critical-yet-routine identity processes, making lives simpler and easier, while providing enhanced security.

"Tascent is excited to support IdSP in designing a modern, fast, contactless and easy-to-manage biometric access control system for the U.S. Army. Leveraging Tascent's innovative face biometric technology, Team IdSP's solution will strengthen base security and enhance user convenience, helping the Army improve efficiency and security in daily operations." - Alastair Partington, CEO, Tascent Inc

Media Contact:
Janice Kephart
703-581-7721
[email protected] 

SOURCE Identity Strategy Partners