A new offering from SureID called Certified Edge is transitioning the identity proofing services it provides for military bases and applying it to the private sector for vendor management.

For more than a decade, a number of U.S. military bases have relied on SureID to manage and secure vendor access. The company is now deploying similar processes to protect private companies from threats posed by vendors and contractors accessing their facilities.

Using strong initial proofing, biometric data and ongoing records screening, Certified Edge helps companies identify third-party populations before granting digital and physical access to corporate resources.

The need for vendor access in a corporate facility and a military base is quite similar, yet private companies tend to know far less about the individuals granted access. Over the years, military bases have required contractors to present secure identity documents – often PIV-I cards — that had been vetted and issued in a manner that met strict government standards. No equivalent exists outside of government.

“Contractors and vendors are more integral to their clients’ success than ever before and are being granted unprecedented levels of physical and logical access,” says Justin Oberman, VP of identity for SureID. “In most cases, however, they are not subject to rigorous background screens, creating a vulnerability that companies within key commercial sectors are now working to counter.”

This new offering gives companies the ability to ensure that their third-party vendors have been thoroughly vetted and identity proofed. By placing the responsibility on the contractor to obtain the required credential, the Certified Edge program sees the vendor organization pay for the initial credential and ongoing authorization, rather than placing the burden the relying companies.

For this managed service platform, the vendor organization pays a one-time charge of $29.95 per individual and $4.95 per month for ongoing monitoring. For this fee, SureID verifies each individual’s employment with the vendor company, conducts identity proofing, performs ongoing records monitoring and provides credentialing.

“Nearly one-third of American adults have a criminal record. While smart companies already may effectively manage their own employees, smarter companies apply the same rigor to their entire human capital ecosystem, including third-party vendors and contractors,” commented CEO and founder of SureID, Inc., Steve Larson.

Contractors and vendors, from delivery and maintenance personnel to professional service providers and IT experts, are often granted access to the most sensitive parts of companies without strong vetting.

SureID Certified Edge is rolling out registration stations for identity management and fingerprint services in seven markets on the West Coast. The company’s goal is to expand to thousands of convenient locations across the country.

This is a tall order, but one Oberman says they are ready to tackle.

“We are building an enrollment network that will include more than 1000 retail locations later this year,” he says. “80% of the U.S. population will be no farther than 20 minutes from one of these centers and all will support customized enrollments based on relying party specifications.”

SecureIDNews asked Oberman to detail the identity proofing process for the Certified Edge program. He explains that there are six key steps:

1. Pre-enrollment: Completed online and enables the applicant to submit all required biographical information
2. In-person enrollment: Completed at an enrollment center and includes submission of identity documents (e.g. driver licenses) for review, and capturing a photo and fingerprints
3. Background screen: Includes checks of all required data sources. The parameters for the background screen vary by the customers but frequently include criminal history checks, checks of key Federal databases and other sources.
4. Review of background screen: SureID has a dedicated team of nearly 100 professionals who review and flag all background screen results.
5. Credential issuance: Includes verifying that the person who passed the background screen is the person to whom the secure credential is being issued.
6. Ongoing records monitoring: Screening doesn’t stop once you’re enrolled If disqualifying information shows up later, access can be immediately revoked.

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