MorphoTrust gets TSA authorization for employee screening and badging at U.S. airports

MorphoTrust USA has received authorization from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to support employee screening and badging at U.S. airports under an “Other Transaction Agreement” with TSA.

MorphoTrust is one of three organizations authorized by TSA to offer Designated Aviation Channeling (DAC) services, following a thorough review to validate the company’s security systems and procedures.
Currently, TSA checks the background of airport and airline employees with access to secure areas and through the DAC services, MorphoTrust will aggregate the necessary employee data and submit it to TSA, which conducts employee threat assessments.

Previously, TSA had an agreement for aviation channeling with only one service provider, but following requests for additional service providers from operators seeking competitive options, TSA announced additional agreements with MorphoTrust and another unnamed vendor.

MorphoTrust has significant experience developing multi-modal biometric products and the company’s DAC offers modernized screening and badging services for airports, air carriers and aviation support vendors. MorphoTrust’s work with the TSA will specifically include fingerprint biometrics.

According to the company, TSA recently selected MorphoTrust as the prime contractor for its new Universal Enrollment Service (UES), which consolidates multiple transportation security programs, including Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC) and Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment Program (HTAP), into a single service with convenient enrollment and registration locations.

“Through contracts like UES, MorphoTrust has been supporting the security of our nation’s transportation infrastructure since 2005,” Bob Eckel, CEO of MorphoTrust said. “MorphoTrust is well-positioned to deliver solutions of this significance and sensitivity, having enrolled nearly two million individuals to date for the current TWIC and HTAP programs. We are happy to use that experience to make screening and badging easier for airports and aviation workers while making the American public safer.”

As reported previously in BiometricUpdate.com, Eckel was recently named a “tech luminary” by The Boston Business Journal as a part of its 2012 Innovation All-Stars award program.

Last June, MorphoTrust announced the company was selected by TSA to supply airline passenger screening as well.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  aviation security  |  morpho  |  security  |  TSA