Papua New Guinea issues RFI for digital ID ecosystem, 6 other DPI projects

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) of Papua New Guinea has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for its national digital ID project, along with six others touching on the country’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) development.

The deadline for submissions in response to the RFIs is December 8, according to an announcement from the department.

The RFIs are being solicited within the framework of the country’s Digital Government Act 2022 and the GovPNG Technology Stack.

Other than the digital ID ecosystem, the other areas to be covered by the RFI include digital government portal solutions, internet payment gateway solutions, interoperability (a secure data exchange platform), a national cyber coordinating center (N3C), and a national cyber security center (NCSC).

RFI deadline for the seventh project – the Cyber Advisory Service – closed last month.

DICT says the purpose of seeking these FRIs is to “gather information and explore potential solutions to establish a secure, reliable, and cost-effective infrastructure for government agencies to drive innovation and improve the delivery of digital services to citizens, businesses and within government.”

The solicited RFIs are for planning purposes, the DICT notes, adding that intentions for any procurements arising from them will be the subject of a different process which shall be carried out in respect of the country’s public procurement regulations.

“As we explore the possibilities of modernizing our identity management systems, we are interested in understanding the latest technologies, best practices and potential partners who can support PNG in this endeavor,” a part of the note announcing the RFI reads.

Papua New Guinea intends to issue digital IDs to all its citizens by 2025.

Information solicited by the DICT includes an overview of the profile of interested organizations; their software, hardware and capabilities; security and privacy measures; usability and accessibility; integration capabilities; scalability and future-proofing; project references; cost structure; data protection and compliance; timeline and implementation; support and maintenance; and partnerships and collaborations.

The RFI, the government says, will enable it make an informed decision on the pathway to pursue in the development of its digital ID ecosystem and how it can support its digital economy development in line with its development projections.

The country is also working with India to tap from the latter’s vast pool of DPI experience.

Article Topics

digital government  |  digital ID infrastructure  |  digital identity  |  digital public infrastructure  |  Papua New Guinea  |  RFI