Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has signed a new $25 million agreement with Unisys to extend support for its Enterprise Biometric Identification Services (EBIS) platform through 2028. The three-year contract renewal begins this month, following the expiration of the current arrangement.
Extending Support for Australia’s Biometric Backbone
The EBIS system has been operational since 2020 and plays a critical role in verifying the identities of travelers and visa applicants. It processes facial and fingerprint data to match individuals against security watchlists, aiding in border security and immigration processing. The latest contract covers “EBIS software, ongoing maintenance and associated support services,” according to a Home Affairs spokesperson.
This latest agreement continues a long-standing partnership that began in 2018 when Unisys was awarded an initial $44 million contract to develop EBIS. The project later expanded to $77 million as its scope grew to support national identity verification needs. EBIS replaced a prior Unisys-built biometric system that had been in use for 12 years.
The platform is powered by Unisys’ Stealth(identity) technology, which supports secure digital identity authentication. The system is designed to integrate with government watchlists and verification workflows while improving overall biometric matching accuracy compared to earlier systems.
Operational Changes and Identity System Integration
While Home Affairs remains the contracting body, operational responsibility for identity and biometrics functions was transferred to the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) in 2023. As part of this reorganization, biometric assets worth $23 million were officially transferred to AGD on August 31, 2023.
The EBIS platform plays a central role in broader efforts to modernize Australia’s identity infrastructure. It complements state-level digital identity initiatives and integrates with national airport biometric upgrades. These efforts aim to create a seamless, secure digital identity environment for both domestic and international use cases.
Source: iTnews
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
