20R0268-AttachA-NotionalDoSConceptofOperationsFinal.docx

Attachment A: Notional DoS Concept of Operations Background

1. In response to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requiring Passports at United States land and sea border crossings, the Department of State (DoS) began issuing Passport Cards and other travel cards in CY 2008. The Passport Card provides proof of citizenship and identity for U.S. citizens at Mexican and Canadian land and sea border crossings and interoperability with Department of Homeland Security automated border-crossing identification system including programs such as NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST.

2. To support the Travel Card issuance requirements, DoS must deploy a card issuance capability. DoS supports two types of card issuance:

a. centralized for most mailed-in applications, and

b. localized production at Passport Agencies to support regional volume, expedite and walk-in traffic issuance requests.

Passport Card Description as Described in Section C The Passport Card is credit card sized and compatible with ISO 7810 ID-1 specifications and compliant with ICAO 9303 Part 5 recommendations for ID-1 Cards. Complete Passport Card specifications and graphical concept representations are in Section J, Attachment C.

Issuing Passport Cards The U.S. Passport application form has been redesigned to allow citizens to apply for a Passport book only, Passport Card only, or both using a single Passport application form. Applicants apply for Passport Cards using the same application form currently used for traditional Passport books.

Application Processing

1. Passport Card applications are processed to the same standards and using the same criteria as any Passport application. Major processing steps include: Image Capture, Image Review, Data Entry, Namecheck and Adjudication. Card application records are maintained as Passport application records. An electronic abstract of cardholder records, linked with the ICC number as described in Section J, Attachment C, are sent to DHS for use at border crossings for authentication and verification.

2. A high-level workflow model is portrayed in Figure A.1. Passport Card applications are mailed or directly submitted to a Passport Agency/Center, or through an Acceptance Facility. Applications submitted to an Agency are adjudicated at the Agency and if approved, the Passport Card is produced and issued to the applicant. Applications mailed in or submitted through an Acceptance Facility are sent to a pre-processing/lockbox facility where the checks are processed and they are screened for completeness, digitized, cataloged, packaged and sent to a Passport Agency or Center for adjudication and processing.

Archive or ACRQ

Figure A-1 - Passport Card Production Workflow Model

3. When applications arrive at a Passport Agency or Center, applications are scanned/digitized and entered into the DoS Travel Document Issuance System (TDIS). The applications are assigned to a Passport Specialist for processing. TDIS assists the Passport Specialist in adjudicating the applications: it records each transaction and it prepares the final approved record that is sent to a print queue for Passport and/or Passport Card personalization.

Passport Card Personalization Most Passport Cards are centrally personalized at a DoS Print Center. Some Passport Agencies have decentralized, low-volume Passport Card personalization capacity to assist applicants with urgent travel.

1. Personalization Process Passport Card applications approved during adjudication at Passport Agencies and Centers are grouped into identifiable batches and enter into a print queue for local personalization or into a TDIS-generated print record to be sent electronically over a secure network connection to the Arkansas Print Center (APC) or Tucson Print Center (TPC). Staff at APC or TPC schedule “Passport Card Batch” card issuance. Batches are released to the Issuance System for card issuance. The card issuance process includes:

a. Passport Card personalization

b. Physical assembly of “Batches” for distribution to a Quality Assurance Station

c. Passport Card and delivery package coupling

2. Regional Passport Agency Issuance Facilities The Passport Card low-volume Personalization Station consists of a TDIS workstation and a low volume card printer/reader. Approved Passport Card Applications are sent to a printer’s personalization queue that is accessible to a staff member working at the Print Station.

3. Arkansas Passport Center (APC), Tucson Passport Center (TPC)

a. APC and TPC, high-volume card print operations, provide “personalization services” to all Passport Agencies and Centers. This process is patterned after the Centralized Passport Book Print process. APC and TPC possess redundant high-volume issuance systems consisting of three high-volume Card Printers at each location. A Passport Processing Employee operates each Card Printer. Approved Passport and Passport Card Application Batches enter an electronic queue and are scheduled for print production.

b. Upon batch receipt, a Passport Processing Employee sets up the Issuance System to personalize incoming applications. When the Passport Processing Employee executes the personalization command, the card feeder automatically places a card in the print mechanism and initiates the following process that is repeated until each application in the Batch is processed:

1) Retrieve application record

2) Read the ICC number or Card number and write to the application data record

3) Personalize the Passport Card using the application data record

4) Automated Quality Assurance performed (optional)

5) Automated Card Delivery performed (optional)

Passport Card Inventory Control DoS employs a secure physical and workflow environment for Passport book and card personalization. This includes a secure vault for storing Passport books, cards and print consumables/supplies. It also includes a secure printing room with limited physical access, and limited logical access to printing workstations. Authorized staff issue blank books and cards, personalize them, and return unused inventory to the secure vault. TDIS systems track this inventory in real-time and Passport Agencies/Centers disallow personalization staff leaving without a clean book / card assignment reconciliation. Control over blank Passport Card stock and issued Passport Cards follow the same internal controls as Passport books.

Passport Card Usage 2018 and 2019 In fiscal year (FY) 2018, Passport Services used 2,818,819 passport card. In FY 2019, 2,909,641 cards were used.

Facilities The decentralized local Passport Agency environments are comprised of typical office space environments with secured Print Rooms for Passport Book and Card personalization. Each Passport Agency has technicians dedicated to deploy hardware and manage Passport Card printing as well.

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