NPIA saves forces millions through national procurement framework

The NPIA's value for money work has helped forces across the UK make combined savings of more than £6 million by using the Agency's Identity Access Management (IAM) national framework.

The framework has helped forces to buy the hardware, software and maintenance support to set up IAM, a more efficient and centrally managed electronic sign-on system. It enables authorised police officers and staff to access national police databases securely using one unique password or smartcard and pin.

The NPIA negotiated a deal with Siemens Enterprise Communications, so forces could buy equipment at a reduced cost. Using the framework to set up IAM saves each force on average around £150,000.

IAM also creates a common security platform for secure information sharing between forces meaning they will be ready to make full use of the Police National Database. In addition to this plans are being made to use IAM for other national applications such as IDENT1 (the national fingerprint database) and development work is well underway with CRASH (a computerised accident recording system).

IAM also delivers:

• authentication of individuals accessing police systems
• access for officers to police systems from any location saving officer time by reducing the need to travel
• single sign-on, avoiding multiple log in processes for individual systems and password resetting

NPIA programme manager for IAM, Graham Dunn said: "Public safety and value for money are the overriding objectives for the NPIA and police forces. The IAM programme is providing the technology that will lead to better sharing of information for front line policing with organisation-wide cost and procurement efficiencies.

The IAM framework agreement provides a great example for how other public organisations and their partners may achieve national or regional-level agreements to deliver a step change in operational savings and collaboration."

Andy Clark, head of public sector, Siemens Enterprise Communications, said: "The IAM programme and associated framework has delivered common, secure and streamlined information sharing processes accompanied by large scale cost savings. These savings are rooted in streamlined national level procurement and flexible managed service options for subscribers."

"We believe the programme's 'build once, reissue many times' principle has wider possibilities for the police service and other public sector organisations who seek cost synergies from collaboration. The uptake of the IAM Managed Service over 12 months has further underpinned forces' readiness for accessing national Police applications."