Passport service publishes IT project reviews

The identity and passport service is investing heavily in IT

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has published an update on five key projects undertaken in 2007.

The IPS considers three of the projects a success, while two encountered problems and one was cancelled.

The EPA 2 project – a second generation scheme for an improved online passport application service- was cancelled due to rising costs.

The existing EPA 1 system will be upgraded and a modern secure online application channel will then be delivered through the national identity scheme strategic supplier framework, and a retender for the Application and Enrolment (A&E) system later this year.

The largest project, known as authentication by interview, aims to interview first time passport applicants as a counter fraud initiative.

The project encountered some problems in testing its IT systems which led to delays in recruiting staff, but was otherwise unproblematic.

A project to enhance the functionality of the IPS’s core application processing system (PASS) had "ongoing issues with the performance and stability of the system".

These issues affected productivity in the seven regional passport offices although not to the detriment of customer service standards, and have now been resolved.

The problems arose because testing couldn't replicate the live environment and certain infrastructure changes had unforeseen affects.

A smaller project known as Eclipse which aimed to provide the IPS with a web based on-line procurement system was successfully rolled out.

And a final project to provide the public with readers that allow them to view the information contained on their passports was delivered across IPS’s seven regional passport offices. A plan to widen the scheme was refused, though this decision will be reviewed after the introduction of ID cards.

A programme to provide a reserve site for IPS’s main passport production facility to ensure business continuity was also completed.