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Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/research/specialreports/idcards/0,3800010140,39131230,00.htm

ID Cards on Trial: EDS wants in on project
Industry consortium could be the best way forward, says boss

By Steve Ranger

Published: Thursday 16 June 2005

IT services giant EDS has said it is interested in getting involved with the UK government's ID card project - most likely as part of a broader industry consortium to tackle the huge initiative.

Doug Hoover, vice president and managing director of global sales and client solutions EDS UK, said the first step towards ID cards is the political discussion of the controversial project.

"There is a significant discussion at a political level that has to occur associated with that," he said.

But he added: "ID cards are a competency of EDS if you look at the [London Underground] Oyster card and you look at the Post Office [card accounts]. We feel that we have some solutions and some capabilities."

But he said that if EDS was to become involved in bidding for the project, it would be likely to do it in a consortium, the way has approached other big projects such as the £4bn Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) outsourcing deal it won earlier this year.

"It would be safe to say we would look at it like we did DII," Hoover said.

As well as looking at new projects, Hoover, who took over responsibility for the UK operation earlier this year, said EDS is keen to win the "hearts and minds" of its existing clients. "Our priority is to deliver on the business that we have won and meet and exceed expectations," he told silicon.com.

Hoover said EDS has also learned from losing the mega-outsourcing contract at the Inland Revenue last year. "The company from the top down said we are going to take the high road here and help the transition to go as smoothly as possible, and treat it as part of the bigger business strategy. Have we become more mature and more respected for that? I think the answer is yes."