The nation's spooks could soon be using a single security pass to access all of the Canberra headquarters for the 10 agencies that make up the nation's intelligence community.
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While it would not comment on the matter, the Office of National Intelligence has issued a public tender for a new pass system that would give some, if not all, intelligence officers across all 10 agencies access to every office in the intelligence community.
It is unclear if the pass would grant complete access to all staff and contractors to all buildings, or if it will operate on a tiered basis, as the office would not confirm such details.
Tender documents show the ONI is seeking consultants to help design the new "One Pass" system, as well as determine how it would operate and the way it would interact across the nation's 10 national intelligence community agencies.
The agencies the new single pass would apply to would include the ONI, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Geospatial Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Signals Directorate, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC , the federal police and Australian Secret Intelligence Service.
The approach to market for the work said that the "concept of allowing access to multiple (intelligence) agencies with a single badge is known as 'One Pass'" and the scope of the design included the main Canberra-based headquarters of the 10 intelligence agencies.
While the ONI would not confirm it, it is likely the new pass is an attempt to make the system more efficient.
