European systems integrator
Steria is the latest bidder to pull out of the competition to
become a main contractor for the Home Office's £4.3bn
ID card procurement framework.
The move, a month after
Accenture and BAE Systems quit, leaves Computer Sciences Corp
(CSC), EDS, Fujitsu, IBM, and Thales in the running.
A spokesman for the Identity
& Passport Service said, "This is not a problem." He said
the IPS will issue invitations to tender next month and expects to
award the framework procurement contract in May to four or five
prime suppliers.
"Those suppliers can choose to supplement their capabilities
with subcontractors, and there could also be other contracts
procured outside the framework which other firms would also be able
to bid for," he said.
Steria, whose subsidiary
Xansa is the Department of
Health's partner in the NHS Shared Business Services joint venture,
said it would like to be considered as a subcontractor for ID card
work.