The US Government Publishing Office (GPO) has awarded a contract to Infineon Technologies Americas Corporation and Thales DIS USA, Inc. for security features, including the chip, software and packaging, in the country’s passport.

The new contract

The contract allows the companies to supply these security solutions for up to ten years. GPO manufactures the document – including many of its components – for the Department of State, which then personalizes the book.

“The US passport is one of the most important documents GPO produces,” said GPO Director Hugh Nathanial Halpern. “We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with the Department of State and are committed to delivering a first-rate product and customer experience. Awarding these contracts will allow us to continue producing the world’s most advanced and secure passport.”

The GPO

GPO has produced the document for the US Department of State since 1926. The office began using electronic security features in 2005 and currently produces the next-generation passport, which incorporates important features that make the book difficult to compromise. The Department of State issued a record number of 22 million in FY 2022 and is on track to break that number in FY 2023.