According to a recently released report by IHS Inc., demand for access control equipment in the U.S. government sector is expected to see modest growth this year.
Despite spending cuts from a sequestered budget and what is still a relatively sluggish economy, the market is expected to reach $198 million this year, up from $191 million in 2012.
"The implications of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12—or HSPD 12—which mandates a standard for a secure and reliable form of identification to be used by all federal employees and contractors, continues to resonate through the access control industry, particularly for the private sector," said Blake Kozak, senior analyst for access control, fire and security at IHS. "Comparable to Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards, Commercial Identity Verification (CIV) cards continue to gain interest in the private sector. But while CIV credential specifications are technically compatible with those of PIV-I—both of which were designed to take advantage of the infrastructure of the PIV program—a CIV credential issuer does not need to comply with the strict policy framework associated with issuance and use of both PIV and PIV-I credentials. These cards are specifically to be used for organizations that want greater internal identity and access control, which is based on PIV technology."
The research firm said that the recent update of FIPS 201 to FIPS 201-2, which demotes the Cardholder Unique Identifier (CHUD) as an authentication device, will help drive the market for high-assurance readers in the space. In addition, other programs such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry initiative, which expedites screening for pre-approved, low-risk travelers, could also help drive growth for access control technologies like biometrics.
For more information about "The World Market for Electronic Physical Access Control Equipment – 2013 Edition," visit www.ihs.com.
