Field Fisher Waterhouse advises on £400m contract for delivery of next generation passports
11 August 2009
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has advised the Identity and
Passport Service (IPS) on a £400 million contract for the delivery
of the next generation of UK passports. The ten year contract
for the design and production of passports containing enhanced
security features has been awarded to De La Rue International
Limited, the world’s largest commercial security printer and a
leading provider of technology solutions and services.
The procurement process, which started with 20 prospective
bidders in June 2008 will see De La Rue design and produce UK
passports with enhanced security features that will help to prevent
identity and passport fraud.
The project forms part of the wider National Identity Scheme,
one of the largest civil IT procurement programmes in UK
government. This is the fourth contract awarded by the IPS to
date and follows those awarded to Thales UK, Computer Sciences
Corporation (CSC) and IBM with estimated values of £18m, £385m and
£265m respectively.
Field Fisher Waterhouse Technology Law Group partner Paul Barton
and his team have been advising the Home Office and the Identity
and Passport Service on the implementation of the National Identity
Service since 2004. Paul led on the passport project, supported by
solicitors Anna Monagle, James
Buckingham and Kwok Tang. Additional advice was provided by
teams from across the firm, including procurement law advice
(partners, Charles
Whiddington and Nick
Pimlott), employment advice (solicitor, Nick Thorpe) and
pensions
advice (partner, David
Gallagher).
Field Fisher Waterhouse has a leading technology practice with a
track record in working on large scale, public sector technology
projects. In addition to advising on the National Identity
Service contracts the Group has recently advised the National
Policing Improvement Agency on the procurement of a new Police
National Database.
Ian Forster, IPS Commercial Delivery Director said: “The
Field Fisher Waterhouse team have yet again excelled in helping us
conclude a particularly challenging procurement on time and on
budget.”
Paul Barton, Field Fisher Waterhouse said: “This is the third
major contract signed by IPS in recent months. We are pleased to
have advised on the next stage of a project that will see the
development of more secure passports that will reduce opportunities
for identity and passport fraud.”
De La Rue was advised by its in-house legal team.
For further press information please
contact:
Louise Eckersley, PR Manager,
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP on 020 7861 4120.