IDNX: Identix Inc. (IDNX)

[Outfoxya]

Identix Wins the U.S. Department of State Facial Recognition Solicitation
Wednesday September 29, 6:00 am ET
Identix Led Team to Immediately Begin Deployment of Facial Recognition Systems for DoS Visa Processing

MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2004-- Identix Incorporated (Nasdaq:IDNX - News), the world's leading multi-biometrics technology company, announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) to supply and integrate its biometric knowledge discovery engines (ABIS(TM)) for large scale facial recognition systems for DoS visa processing. The award to Identix is part of DoS's mandate to augment its automated fraud-detection assistance capabilities through the use of facial recognition to screen for duplicates, aliases and for faces on a watch list prior to issuance of a visa. Identix was selected after a competitive bidding process and detailed technical evaluation as the sole recipient of the DoS's Facial Recognition System and Integration Support contract.

The facial recognition system Identix is integrating into the DoS's visa application processes will be the largest deployment of facial recognition technology to-date in the world and is expected to provide functionality that includes:

* Initial enrollment of approximately 35 million legacy visa images;
* Acquiring and enrolling approximately 8 million new visa images in the initial year of the contract, as well as in each option year exercised by DoS;
* Acquiring and enrolling at least 10 million e-Diversity Visa applicants per year;
* Matching against variable galleries and databases provided by DoS;
* Processing up to 2,000 matches per hour.

The award to Identix consists of a one-year base contract with four one-year options to renew in favor of DoS. The contract contains multiple program specifications and project deployment options. The initial scope of work under the contract involves immediate supply, integration and deployment of facial recognition systems for visa and e-Diversity Visa applicant processing. If authorized and funded by DoS, potential additional project deployments under the contract could include the design and implementation of a facial recognition system for the passport application processing environment. Identix expects to recognize more than $2.2 million over the next 12 months from the initial options that have been exercised to-date under this contract.

"We are extremely proud to be selected by the DoS to play such a primary and critical technological role in protecting our Nation while helping to ensure that the U.S. is able to maintain an open door policy for legitimate visitors," said Identix President & CEO Dr. Joseph J. Atick. "The DoS and its Bureau of Consular Affairs maintains some of the largest databases of face images in existence, making the integration of facial recognition technology into their existing processes a logical and powerful tool.

"The integration of our ABIS 3.0 biometric knowledge discovery platforms into the DoS visa issuance programs is by far the largest facial recognition project in the world to-date, and is a most significant landmark project for border security and for the biometrics industry as a whole," Atick continued. "The combination of this award from DoS with our recent 5-year blanket purchase agreement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for our fingerprint biometric live scan systems, further validates Identix' position as the global leader in multi-biometric technologies. It is an honor and a privilege for Identix to have our patience, hard work and persistence in the biometric arena recognized by two such important and influential agencies. We look forward to continuing to help meet the identification and enhanced security needs of federal, state, and local governments, as well as commercial entities, on a worldwide basis."

As part of its responsibilities for issuing visas to foreign nationals, the DoS has the obligation to verify applicant identities, prevent the issuance of visas to those who pose national security threats, and to prevent the issuance of visas to applicants using fraudulent aliases. In furtherance of these responsibilities, and based on DoS maintaining some of the largest face image databases in the world, the agency wanted the ability to compare biometric facial images of applicants against large databases from multiple agencies, such as DoS, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security.

According to the DoS, the addition of facial recognition technology is expected to increase homeland security and better facilitate the anti-fraud goals of DoS's existing travel document issuance processes in the following ways:

* The automated detection of applicant fraud through the one-to-many matching of the submitted photo with those already in the database;
* The verification of the identity of an applicant for visa renewal through the one-to-one matching of his or her submitted photo with one already in the database;
* The detection of wanted or missing persons through the one-to-many matching of submitted photos against a limited "watch-list" of images.

Identix is the prime contractor on the project. The Identix team includes two leading systems integration firms: San Diego, CA-based Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and New York City-based, International Biometric Group (IBG).

About Identix ABIS

ABIS 3.0 is Identix latest generation multi-biometric knowledge discovery in databases and search engine powered by Identix' FaceIt® G6 technology, which integrates Identix' proprietary skin biometric technology. ABIS 3.0 provides increased scalability up to 100 million images, coupled with image quality control modules to help ensure maximum accuracy.

The ABIS System is Identix' advanced multi-biometric knowledge discovery in databases and search system, designed for developing large-scale, one-to-many systems, with specific applicability to end user ID programs such as Passport and Visa issuance, National IDs, DMVs and large-scale enterprise employee ID issuance and verification. The ABIS System contains built-in features such as failover protection that are required in an enterprise environment. Its architecture is modular, making it easy for users to expand their system as needs grow. Identix' ABIS System also integrates easily with existing business applications using XML-based web services.

ABIS 3.0 is the first Identix product incorporating skin biometric technology into a facial search system. The skin subcomponent utilizes the micro-features of the skin for significantly enhanced accuracy and has clearly distinguished between identical twins in Identix tests. The combination of skin biometrics with a considerably enhanced FaceIt Feature quality control subcomponent provides uniformly accurate performance across a wide variety of facial image resolutions.

Identix, FaceIt and ABIS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Identix Incorporated in the United States and other countries.

About Identix Incorporated

Identix Incorporated (Nasdaq:IDNX - News) is the world's leading multi-biometric technology company. Identix provides fingerprint, facial and skin biometric technologies, as well as systems, and critical system components that empower the identification of individuals in large-scale ID and ID management programs. The Company's offerings include live scan systems and services for biometric data capture, mobile systems for on-the-spot ID, and backend standards-based modules and software components for biometric matching and data mining. Identix products are used to conduct background checks, speed travel and commerce via secure identification documents, prevent identity fraud in large-scale government and civil ID programs, and control access to secure areas and networks. With a global network of partners, such as leading system integrators, defense prime contractors and OEMs, Identix serves a broad range of markets including government, law enforcement, gaming, finance, travel, transportation, corporate enterprise and healthcare.

More information on Identix can be accessed via the Company web site at http://www.identix.com.

Statements in this release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements reflecting management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. All forward-looking statements are made in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Identix cautions investors that forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, those related to: the ability of the Company to withstand protests (if any) from unsuccessful competitors in the DoS RFP bidding process and achieve or exceed, on a timely basis, targeted proceed levels from the DoS contract and the DHS BPA, as well as targeted proceeds from other customers; the availability of funding from government customers; and the readiness of customers to accept delivery of ordered products on a timely basis; the ability of the Company to successfully compete for and be awarded certain major domestic and/or international government contracts that are or will be the subject of targeted RFP's and RFQ's; the ability of Identix to complete product development on a successful and timely basis; obtain necessary government agency certification on a timely basis; achieve targeted levels of product mix and cost improvement; increasing levels of competition; and other risks identified in the Company's SEC filings. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Contact:

Identix Incorporated
Media Contacts:
Frances Zelazny, 201-332-9213
[e-mail]
or
Meir Kahtan, 212-699-6065
[e-mail]
or
Investor Contact:
Damon Wright, 952-979-8485
[e-mail]


Source: Identix Incorporated

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steve