RAPIDGate Program Boosts Security at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters; Eid Passport Deploys RAPIDGate Program to Manage Access for Vendors, Suppliers, and Contractors Working On-Board Coast Guard Headquarters

Business Wire, Nov 14, 2005

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Eid Passport, Inc., a leading provider of vendor access management programs, has deployed its RAPIDGate(TM) program to enhance security at the United States Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The RAPIDGate Program provides a new secure credential and entry protocol for all vendors, suppliers, and contractors who work at the Headquarters. Initially installed at the Headquarters' Transpoint building, the Program is scheduled to deploy at the Coast Guard's Jemal Riverside building in the near future.

Eid Passport's RAPIDGate Program improves security and efficiency by registering and screening vendors, contractors, and suppliers, and then providing credentials and access management systems that quickly prove their identities and authorize their privileges to enter a secure facility. The Program integrates a number of best-of-breed products and services: the self-service Registration Stations for program applicants; identity proofing; background screening for outstanding wants, warrants (including the "terrorist watch list"), sexual offender/predator lists, and felony convictions; fraud-resistant, personalized RAPIDGate badges for qualified applicants; access management and biometric systems to identify credential-holders at secure access points; and reports of ingress and egress activity.

Using the RAPIDGate Program, organizations gain confidence that all badgeholders have had a thorough background screening, and that they access secure facilities only when authorized to do so. Access control personnel can more quickly authorize RAPIDGate badgeholders for entry, allowing them to focus their efforts on those visitors who are not part of the Program. During periods of heightened security, access control personnel can also verify badgeholder fingerprints on the spot. The badgeholders, in turn, save time every time they need to access the secure facility, which can result in hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars of savings per employee per year.

"We are thrilled to partner with an organization as prestigious and symbolic of security as the United States Coast Guard," said Steve Larson, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Eid Passport. "The success of this installation validates the role of the RAPIDGate Program as a critical layer of security for government, military, and commercial facilities. In turn, their vendors, suppliers, and contractors will enjoy fast, secure access for fulfilling their missions."

About Eid Passport

Eid Passport (http://www.eidpassport.com) provides vendor access management solutions for military bases and governmental agencies (including Coast Guard, Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force facilities); federal, state, and local government buildings; and other homeland security applications. Eid's solutions combine self-registration stations, background checks (vetting), RFID, credentialing, biometrics, and other services and technologies within a complete security solution.

Eid Passport's RAPIDGate program, designed especially for military, government, and commercial facilities, makes granting facility access more secure and faster for vendors, suppliers, service providers, and contractors. It significantly reduces ingress and egress time through the use of secure credentials, ultra-long-range active RFID badges, access management systems and biometric data. And by allowing security personnel to focus on non-screened parties, the RAPIDGate program tightens security even more. As a force protection application, it is typically provided at no cost to the government

Eid Passport also helps commercial clients minimize the risk of terrorism, workplace violence, theft and fraud presented by vendors, suppliers, service providers, contractors, and even employees. Its products work at security programs and checkpoints at commercial facilities, including ports (including airports, and seaports); manufacturing and distribution centers; casinos and gaming; stadiums; employment and staffing companies; and corporate headquarters. Through its self registration, background screening, identity authentication, secure credentialing and enforcement, facility administrators/employers can be sure that only authorized personnel can gain ingress or egress access to their facilities.

For more information, visit http://www.eidpassport.com.

Eid Passport and RAPIDGate are trademarks of Eid Passport, Inc.