Fujitsu is the preferred bidder in a mobile ID program aimed at establishing a digital proof of age card in the United Kingdom, according to a report from The Register.
The UK’s Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) is meant to establish a digital card that can verify users through a smartphone app or a barcode scanner, with the software to be developed by a single vendor. The contract to build that software is expected to be worth about £1 million.
Fujitsu has confirmed that it began the tender process for the contract in May of 2022, submitting a bid for the tender in June of that year. It was selected as the “preferred bidder” in January of 2023.
In UK government contract processes, being designated as the “preferred bidder” is an important step in the procurement process, but it’s not the final step. This term is used to indicate that a vendor has been selected as the most suitable candidate to deliver the contract, following a competitive tendering process. It means that this vendor has passed various evaluations and is considered the best match for the contract requirements among all the bidders.
After being named the preferred bidder, there usually follows a period of detailed negotiations and finalization of terms. This phase can involve clarifying certain aspects of the proposal, negotiating price, and finalizing the contract details.
As The Register points out, Fujitsu’s selection for the contract is a controversial development, given the company’s involvement in a scandal involving the country’s Post Office. The company’s Horizon IT system erroneously reported financial shortfalls at various Post Office branches in the late 1990s, with the result that hundreds of managers were accused of theft and fraud. Many were prosecuted, some went to prison, and some committed suicide.
A recent television drama resurfaced the scandal, after which Fujitsu informed the UK government that it would not tender for projects in the country’s public sector. But that vow came in January of this year, well after Fujitsu had been selected as the preferred bidder for PASS.
Source: The Register
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March 26, 2024 – by Alex Perala
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