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The two most IT-centric contracts for a biometric Britain have been awarded to CSC and IBM, bringing the state’s aim of a nationwide identity scheme a step closer. Computer Sciences Corporation won a £385m deal to upgrade the application and enrolment system, while IBM took a £265m contract to build the biometrics database. The Home Secretary awarded the £650m IT contract package to the companies after their bids proved more compelling than rival tenders from 300 other IT suppliers. Jacqui Smith said the state had bought “the best technology available” to deploy identity cards and make passports more secure, as part of the 10-year, £4.7bn scheme. When added to its two remaining deals, the scheme’s four major contracts with IT firms should be worth less than £2bn in total, the Identity and Passport Service said. It added that the deals with CSC and IBM replace its soon-to-expire contracts for processing passport applications, and would create the biometric database. On top of building and running the stock of facial and fingerprint images, for both passports and cards, IBM will support the delivery of ID cards for the next five years. CSC’s wider-ranging contract dictates it will provide a system to process applications for both identifiers, offer an online facility, and supply ICT systems to the IPS. Its contract, which includes providing better background-checking systems, is for 10 years and replaces existing agreements with Atos, Siemens and Sagem, among others. The ID card design and production contract, for which Thales, Fujitsu and IBM are still bidding, will be awarded in the autumn, the IPS said. Its officials said the passport design and production contract, for which Thales, 3M SPL, Gemalto and De La Rue are still bidding, will be awarded in the summer. An estimated £3.595bn of the scheme’s total cost will be used to run IPS and deliver upgraded biometric passports, while the remainder (£1.190bn) will deliver ID cards. Apr 17, 2009 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
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