The new printers are expected to be in operation by June 2008 in both the recently opened Arkansas location and the newly announced location in Arizona. These mega-processing centers represent a dynamic, new approach to the production of passports for Americans. Other domestic passport agencies will electronically transmit approved applications to Arizona and Arkansas Passport Centers, which are dedicated solely to printing and mailing out large quantities of passports. For example, the Arkansas Passport Center, according to the DoS, can produce more than 10 million passports per year*. By centralizing passport printing, the DoS will focus resources at other agencies on processing and adjudicating more passport applications.

"These orders demonstrate the continued confidence that the DoS maintains in L-1 as DoS looks to improve the efficiency of passport issuance operations as demand for passport production rises to record levels," said Leo Sullivan, president of the Secure Credentialing Division of L-1 Identity Solutions. "L-1 has more than 20 years of experience in developing the most secure credentialing solutions possible and will deliver a highly readable and tamper-resistant passport that the DoS can be assured is protected against sophisticated threats of counterfeiting and forgery."

L-1 is the exclusive provider of passport personalization for the U.S. Department of State and the sole provider of the State Department visa issuance system. L-1 also serves as the production platform for the U.S. Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC).

* Department of State Media Note, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, May 23, 2007, "Passport Production at Record Levels to Meet Demand"