The publication of the “NIS Strategic Supplier Framework Notice” in the Official Journal Of The European Union (OJEU) is widely reported. Tash Shifrin writes in Computerworld:

The government has finally launched the delayed procurement process for its controversial £5.3bn ID cards scheme in a move likely to inflame opposition because it comes during the parliamentary recess.

The ID cards and national identity register scheme is so contentious that in February the Conservative Party issued an unprecedented warning to potential suppliers that it would scrap the project if it came to power at the next election.

The latest delay to procurement came as Gordon Brown prepared to take over as prime minister in June. Then, James Hall, chief executive of the Identity and Passport Service, said procurement for IT systems to support the scheme was set to begin, but “we’re not quite ready yet”.

A tender notice for the National Identity Scheme (NIS) strategic supplier framework has now been published, to cover most of the scheme’s requirements.

“It is intended to award a number of projects called off against the framework each to run for up to 10 years in duration,” the notice says.

But some elements may be procured outside the framework, while the framework may also be used to procure for projects outside the NIS, it adds.

In fact the OJEU notice (PDF, cookies must be enabled for download) makes clear that only two non-ID-card projects are “agreed for procurement under the Framework”:

• The replacement of core Application and Enrolment processes for passports and the provision of desktop infrastructure for IPS; and

• The replacement and upgrading of the existing systems for fingerprint matching and storage in connection with immigration and visa requirements and transition to the replacement service.

The notice lists all the ID-card-related items as “potential projects”.

The accompanying NIS Strategic Supplier Framework Prospectus can be downloaded here.

This entry was posted by andrew on Thursday, August 9th, 2007 at 20:49 and is filed under (In)security, Biometrics, General, Neutral, UK News Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.