Beginning Oct. 27, 2006, federal agencies (including the Postal Service) must begin issuing government “Smartcard” IDs that can be used across government and that meet basic technical standards designed to tighten security at buildings and on computer networks. The new cards will include a computer chip that holds at least four pieces of data to verify the cardholder’s identity: two fingerprints, a personal identification number the cardholder would know, an identifying number unique to each card, and a digital signature.

Also under a pilot program, the Postal Service will receive about $30 per employee to issue new Smartcards to federal employees. If successful, the program will be expanded to Post Offices around the country.

Here’s more on smartcards from the Federal Times

By October 2008, all federal employees will get into their office buildings by waving these smart cards over a reader and having a fingerprint scanned. Once at his desk, an employee will insert the card into a reader hooked up to his computer, press a finger on another scanner, type in a four- to eight-digit personal identification number, and automatically log on to e-mail, instant messaging, databases or other systems without any further logins.

If an employee visits another federal agency, he won’t have to sign in at the door and get a visitor’s badge — just another swipe and fingerprint scan.

And while visiting another federal office, a fed can plug his card into a computer to remotely check his office e-mail or access information on his agency’s database. But the cards are more than just a fancy way to get into a building or computer system. Advocates say they’ll safeguard information on government laptops, enable secure teleworking, and free employees of the need to keep countless user names and passwords, among other benefits.

More info: High-Tech IDs Planned for Federal, Postal Employees by 2006