Early ID card discussions valid says Intellect

IT suppliers and consulting firms are regularly meeting with the Home Office
to discuss the early implications of the national identity card scheme before
the bill has received Royal Assent, a senior member of IT lobby group Intellect
has confirmed.

Nick Kalisperas, a director at Intellect, said that early discussions had
taken, and were taking, place between government and IT suppliers – even though
the ID card bill was still passing through parliament.

However, he added that the meetings did not go into the ‘specifics’ of the ID
card tender process, and that they had deliberately begun the discussions at an
early stage in order to ensure the project was a success.

‘To ensure a successful IT engagement you have to sound-out market capability
and market capacity. The more early engagement, the more all those connected to
the project will be able to deliver it successfully.’

Kalisperas denied that there had been any exclusive agreements with private
firms at this stage, and said this would only happen when the bill receives
Royal Assent ‘at the end of this year or the beginning of the next’.

‘If you compare this to other government procurement programmes and projects
it is very open, and shows that if you talk to the industry early enough the
more chance of success you will have.

‘The discussions are open to all companies interested in the project.’