General Dynamics Awarded $25 Million Card Production Contract by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

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General Dynamics Information Technology

Oct 20, 2010, 10:30 ET

FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a $24.8 million task order by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The task order, under the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions (EAGLE) contract, has a three-year term if all options are exercised.

Under this task order, General Dynamics will manage the production of immigration credentials including the USCIS Permanent Resident Cards (PRC) and the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for DHS. The work will be performed in Corbin, Ky.

"General Dynamics has worked with USCIS on its secure identification cards, including the Permanent Resident 'green' card for more than 10 years, designing cards and processing systems and providing the specialized support required for USCIS credential programs," said Scott Price, vice president of General Dynamics Information Technology's Homeland Security Solutions. "General Dynamics has unique qualifications and intimate knowledge of USCIS requirements specifically in the area of secure credential technologies."

General Dynamics began transitioning the PRC to more secure, state-of-the-art card technologies for USCIS in 2008 when the company was selected to design, deliver and maintain a new card processing system, called Card Processing System Technology Refreshment (CPSTR). The newly designed PRC, produced exclusively on the new CPSTR system, features several security technologies including an optical stripe, embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, holographic images, variable ink, laser engraved fingerprint and other technologies that safeguard the card to increase usability at border crossings. These technologies prevent counterfeiting, obstruct tampering and facilitate quick authentication.

"General Dynamics understands the importance of having secure identification cards to protect the safety of the country and its citizens," said Marcus Collier, senior vice president of General Dynamics Information Technology's Civilian/Homeland Security Solutions division. "We have partnered with USCIS to ensure that the cards are produced in a secure and consistent manner."

As a trusted systems integrator for more than 50 years, General Dynamics Information Technology provides information technology (IT), systems engineering, professional services and simulation and training to customers in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, health, federal civilian government, state and local government and commercial sectors. With approximately 17,000 professionals worldwide, the company manages large-scale, mission-critical IT programs delivering IT services and enterprise solutions. More information about General Dynamics Information Technology is available at www.gdit.com .

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 91,000 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.

SOURCE General Dynamics Information Technology