This document, Special Publication 800-76, is a companion document to FIPS 201, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors. It describes technical acquisition and formatting specifications for the biometric credentials of the PIV system, including the PIV Card itself. It enumerates procedures and formats for fingerprints and facial images by restricting values and practices included generically in published biometric standards. The primary design objective behind these particular specifications is high performance universal interoperability. For the preparation of biometric data suitable for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check, SP 800-76 references FBI documentation, including the ANSI/NIST Fingerprint Standard and the Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Specification. This document does not preclude use of other biometric modalities in conjunction with the PIV card.