Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2005/08/12/uk_government_preps_id_card_contracts/
Gov.UK preps ID card contracts
Home Office indicates high-level IT requirements
Posted in Legal, 12th August 2005 10:42 GMT
The Government has set out the massive IT and support infrastructure it intends to source for the planned national identity system.
The Home Office's Identity Cards programme laid down its expected requirements in an information notice to potential suppliers on 11 August.
Formal procurements are due to launch once the identity cards legislation, now before Parliament, receives Royal Assent.
According to the notice, the procurement activity is likely to include the following:
- The creation, hosting and maintenance of a National Identity Register (database(s) and software services) - hosting is likely to require significant data centre capability (either built for purpose or existing)
- Biometric recording and matching technology
- Services to manage the end to end process of registering individuals onto the database and maintenance of the database
- Network, IT and communications systems (and support services)
- Technical integration services
- Scheme Integration services
- Secure production and distribution of Identity Cards/ Documents
- Provision of office space/ FM services (both for enrolment and administration)
- Corporate support systems/ services
- Contact centre support services
- Services to support the provision of Identity verification services to user organisations (including accreditation of user organisations, account management and marketing).
In another new development, the ID Cards programme said that it plans to produce a procurement prospectus "once requirements and potential procurement strategies have been defined".
This document, states the notice, "will set out the thinking on requirements and packaging options and seek market views on assumptions and issues."
Suppliers can register at the programme's website to be alerted when this is published.
The final contract authority, the notice says, may be the new executive agency that the Home Office expects will deliver the ID cards scheme and take over the work of the UK Passport Service.
It adds: "Potential procurements covered by this notice may include the current business activities of the UK Passport Service and may involve delivery of new services or build upon existing systems and processes."
Identity Cards Programme Procurement Notice
eGov monitor Weekly is a free e-newsletter covering developments in UK eGovernment and public sector IT over the last seven days. To register go here.