VA awards contract for PIV card management to Verizon

PIV = Personal Identity Verification...The card will hold a chip holding biometric data and digital certificates to authenticate the sign on process to the networks and servers...all together 12 agencies are required to use the system per the Homeland Security Presidential Directive...Verizon provides the hub and a hot back up site with 24 hour support...so now in addition to digital certificates on file, the individual's DNA will also have to match...to keep unauthorized access at bay...BD

The Veterans Affairs Department has awarded Verizon Business the first contract under the GSA schedule for managing new smart government ID cards. The $6.1 million contract calls for Verizon to handle certificates for up to 500,000 cards to VA employees and contractors over the initial one-year term and two optional years.

“We have already been issuing cards,” said Tom Greco, director of Verizon’s ID management solutions. “The VA was a little ahead of the game,” and began issuing cards before standards were completed. Under the new contract, VA expects to ramp up issuance of cards compliant with the presidential mandate to a rate of thousands a day.
Verizon began issuing strong authentication smart ID cards for VA before FIPS 201 was finalized, and began issuing PIV-compliant cards late last year, Greco said. When its original contract was completed VA awarded a new contract from the GSA schedule, choosing Verizon for the follow-on.

The department has issued about 5,000 of the PIV cards to date. “It’s a challenge,” to issue to the entire employee and contractor population of the largest civilian agency with facilities around the country, Greco said.