ASE was retained by the Identity and Passport Service to lead the Procurement of the National Biometric Identity Service (NBIS) which was to be at the core of the National Identity Scheme (NIS). Its remit was to deliver the major part of the National Identity Register including Biometric matching services, along with similar services for the UK Borders Agency and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. It was envisaged that the value of the project over its lifecycle would be approximately £500m.
Background
The Programme was tasked with specifying, designing, building, testing and implementing both the NBIS application, and the infrastructure on which it would operate. A Service Orientated Architecture approach was used to integrate with the diverse set of applications and business processes deployed by the many organisations involved in the NIS. Given its central role in the NIS, the NBIS solution required effective & secure data management (including authentication), a multi level security deployment (including in terms of secure networks) and effective business continuity / disaster recovery.
Approach
ASE Consulting staff were responsible, not only for leading the Procurement of the service but also for providing support in the technical architecture / infrastructure and information assurance areas.
The Services provided included:
- Definition of the scope of the overall NBIS Service to be procured
- Preparation of the Procurement Strategy and Plan
- Direction and Management of the overall Procurement Process under the Competitive Dialogue procedure.
- Mobilisation of a mixed project team of IPS and UK Border Agency Civil Servants (over 50 in total)
- Preparation of all Project Initiation Documentation
- Preparation of Business Case documentation to obtain Project Funding via the Home Office Group Investment Board
- Set up of a Senior Stakeholder Group comprising Senior Civil Servants from IPS, UK Border Agency, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Home Office, Security and Counter Terrorism Officials
- Preparation of the Output Based Service Requirements Specification
- Creation of a network of Technical Stakeholders across IPS, UKBA, FCO and Home Office, to ensure overall buy in to the high level architecture
- Support for the NIS Framework Procurement to create a Strategic Supplier Group (SSG) of Systems Integration Suppliers
- Definition of the Programme Procurement approach and supporting documentation, to enable the selection of a short list of 2 of the Systems Integration Suppliers from the SSG Framework
- Management of the Procurement Process to finalise draft contracts and to select a preferred supplier
- Management of the diverse range of stakeholders to ensure buy in to the overall approach, sign off at key milestones in the Programme and adherence to the Programme timetable.
Outcome
Using the Competitive Dialogue process, the procurement project delivered on time and within budget and a Supplier was selected to deliver what became known as the National Identity Assurance Service (NIAS). Although elements of the National Identity scheme have been discontinued as a result of the change in government, the NIAS Programme will continue to deliver the core Biometric Matching Services in support of the UK Border Agency's Border Control obligations.