TheIdentity and Passport
Service(IPS) has shortlisted eight suppliers
from which five will be chosen in May 2008 to enter a framework
agreement to supply systems for the government'sNational Identity Scheme.
The eight are: Accenture, BAE Systems, Computer Sciences
Corporation, EDS, Fujitsu, IBM, Steria, and Thales. IPS earlier
received 11 responses to its invitation to tender.
Bill Crothers, IPS commercial director, said, "The announcement
today of the shortlist of eight bidders represents another
important milestone towards delivering the National Identity
Scheme.
"We now have a solid core of eight 'prime bidders' who will go
forward to the next stage of the procurement process. Of course
involvement in the procurement process is not restricted to just
the eight companies we have announced today. Each prime bidder has
their own network of sub-contractors."
EDS is in dispute with HM Revenue & Excise over unpaid
compensation. A Home Office spokesman said there is still a long
way to go before the final five suppliers are chosen.