The Army is testing out a pilot program that allows contract workers to use an ID card to gain access to Department of Defense (DOD) services and facilities. The DOD-approved card program, referred to as the Synchronized Pre-Deployment and Operational Tracker program (or SPOT for short), is designed to verify the identities of nongovernment personnel and give visibility to contractors in the battlefield.

The proposed contractor ID uses the same high-security standards required of the federal employee cards developed under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12. The Army hope to use the program to create a scalable, web-based system that allows them to manage access control for large numbers of contractors. Tracking these contractors can be difficult because they often change jobs and roles.
Right now the contractor identification program is being piloted at Fort Belvoir, VA. The Army has future plans to issues the credentials to contractors in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other military locations.