Postal Inspection Service

Physical Access Control System Standardization Program

The Postal Service™ has many facilities with vari­ous types of the electronic physical access control system (PACS) installed. Since the PACS components for these facilities have been supplied by many different vendors over time, Postal Service facilities are now in a noncentral­ized, stove-piped PACS environment. The present situation does not allow for Postal Service facilities to communicate access control user privileges with each other, resulting in security risks and inefficient system administration of its PACS.

The PACS standardization program seeks to:

• Create a centralized PACS environment to facilitate effective communication of access control privileges among Postal Service facilities.
• Prepare the Postal Service for meeting the physical security requirements of Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12 by ensuring the acquisition of approved card readers.
• Mitigate information technology security risks.
• Create an efficient environment for PACS administra­tion for system users.

Any PACS new installation, upgrade, or replacement must:

• Adhere to Postal Service Handbook AS-503, Standard Design Criteria.
• Adhere to Postal Service MMOS specification Section 13701, Access Control System.
• Be coordinated among a working group of represen­tatives from Information Technology, the Postal Inspection Service, and Facilities.

PACS hardware reader controllers must be Ingersoll Rand/Schlage Security Management System Model SRCNX Reader Controller; no substitutions are allowed through the end of fiscal year 2010. For additional informa­tion about the Schlage Security Management System Model SRCNX Reader Controller, go to: http://securitymanagementsystem.schlage.com/documents/hardware_SRCNX.pdf.

If the project requires a replacement or addition of access control card readers, the readers must be dual-technology readers. These readers must be HSPD–12–compliant and can be found on the GSA Federal Information Process Standard 201-1 approved products list found at http://fips201ep.cio.gov/apl.php.

Any computer hardware or software related to PACS, including user workstations and printers, must be approved and acquired through Postal Service Information Technology to meet the appropriate information technol­ogy security and support requirements. At this time, new PACS installation, upgrade, or replacement projects do not require the acquisition of additional computer server and workstations since the required Ingersoll Rand/Schlage PACS controllers can interface directly with the Postal Service information technology infrastructure.

The Postal Service PACS Standardization Program is the responsibility of the following:

PROGRAM MANAGER PHYSICAL SECURITY
UNITED STATES POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE
475 L’ENFANT PLAZA SW SUITE 3600
WASHINGTON DC 20260

— Security Group,
Postal Inspection Service, 9-27-07