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Mühlbauer is operating the National ID project for citizens in the Central AmericanRepublic of El Salvador; the Salvadorian government has already extended the 2017 cooperation contract until June 2021.
In 2011, the Government of El Salvador entrusted Mühlbauer with the task to implement and operate the National ID Cardproject. This project includes the provision of the actual ID card,approval and issuance clients, national databases, biometric systems, data and document management systems, secure communication methods with all national and international sites via MB DEOS, as well as twenty enrollment, personalization andissuance offices endowed with high-tech personalization machinesand state-of-the-art software.
The project is based on a Public Private Partnership agreement and is executed as a Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project.
Decentralized Issuance of ID Cards
The Salvadorian ID cards are issued decentralized in 24 personalization centers across the country. All of the centers are connected to a central system that enables an automatedidentification of the citizens’ fingerprints (AFIS, capacity of 12million registries), system and data management (SDM, capacity of 10 million applications), user management and storage. Inaddition to these 24 service centers, there is also a headquarters, as well as a service and training center for staff. Mühlbauer alsoenabled 16 El Salvadorian consulates in the USA and Canada, so they can receive applications and issue National ID Cards to El Salvadorian citizens abroad.
In the meantime, the former, obsolete system has been completely replaced by a secure, modern and innovative system that has beendesigned by Mühlbauer specifically for this project. Within the first15 months, the Salvadorian government deployed 3 million ID cards with high security features. Up to now, over 6.88 million national identity documents have been issued to the country’s citizens.
In June 2017, the contract was renewed for an additional four years, so that Mühlbauer continues to be the strategic partner of the government of El Salvador until June 2021. Within the scope of the contract extension, the second generation of ID cards with enhanced security features is being issued.
Exceeding Expectations
In 2018, the daily production reached a record of 15,949 issued documents. A fact that is particularly remarkable consideringthe system was initially required for a production of just 3,490documents per day, exceeding expectations with a five-fold increase in capacity. The speed from data collection to the issuingof ID cards is equally impressive: on average, it only takes 15 to 20minutes from the citizens’ entrance to their exit with a brand new, personalized ID card.
This efficiency is made possible by a well-organized service, as well as by the standardization of the enrollment process, IDcard personalization and final delivery to the citizens in all of thepassport centers.
Better Employment within El Salvador
Today, Mühlbauer employs over 400 people in El Salvador.Mühlbauer El Salvador, with its qualified staff, is the backbonefor all Mühlbauer operations in Central America. Furthermore, the government of El Salvador has also awarded the company for its exemplary work conditions in the Service Centers across the country.
In addition, the Salvadorian Social Services Institute recognizes Mühlbauer as a national example in the implementation of better working conditions for women and Mühlbauer is leading in termsof inclusion and equality of Salvadorian citizens in the workplace.