GPO Comes Under Fire for Outsourced Work

The Government Printing Office (GPO) fired back at a series of stories that appeared in the Washington Times last week regarding security concerns for electronic passports produced outside the country, as well as the accusation that the amount of profits GPO reaped exceeded limits set by law.

According to the paper, the GPO chose two European computer chip makers to produce millions of electronic passports. The passports are being assembled in Thailand by a company that was allegedly a victim of Chinese economic espionage, the report said.

The GPO stated there weren’t any U.S. companies which manufactured integrated circuits that met ICAO standards and/or rigorous testing. It also pointed out that GPO is required by Title 44 to undergo an annual audit conducted by an outside firm. As part of the audit, GPO management is required to make certain written representations ensuring the agency is in compliance with laws and regulations.