IRIS Corporation has clinched another African passport deal with a contract to supply an ePassport System to the government of the Republic of Senegal.

The deal follows orders from other African nations, including Somalia, and will operate on the IRIS Trusted Identity System known as IdenCRAFT.

The contract is based on a build-own-transfer (BOT) project financing model over a 20 year period. IRIS says it will build and own the ePassport service for the BOT period, after which ownership of the ePassport system will be transferred to the Senegalese government. During this period, IRIS will also provide support services to the government, whose officers will be operating the ePassport system.

The contract includes consultancy services, installation, maintenance and support of the ePassport system.

IRIS says a main passport operation centre in Dakar and eight regional passport operation centres throughout the country will be used for the deployment of documents. A further eight overseas passport operation centres in embassies will also be equipped with the system.

Four immigration autogates will be installed at Dakar International Airport for automated and secure immigration clearance.