Scottish government awards digital identity platform contract to Scott Logic

The Scottish government has awarded a two-year contract to supplier software consultancy firm Scott Logic to develop a digital identity service.

The project will see a suite of common platforms put in place across the Scottish public sector, introducing a single digital identity service for citizens.

The aim is to make it easier for users to prove who they are, and users will be able to store their information and choose which services to share it with when interacting with the public sector.

Scottish innovation minister Ivan McKee said people expect public services that “are accessible and easy to use”, adding: “They want them to be inclusive and designed around their needs, rather than the structures of the organisations that provide them.

“Our vision is to introduce a digital identity service for users that provides a safe and easy way for people to prove that they are eligible for a public service or benefit online.” 

Scott Logic is headed by former Government Digital Service (GDS) boss Stephen Foreshew-Cain, and the supplier began the project to create the digital identity platform in April 2021.

The project has four components: secure sign-in, an attribute store, integration with credential providers, and integration with public service organisations.

The contract is for two years with the option for two one-year extensions.

In 2020, Digital Identity Scotland launched a 10-week project to build and test a prototype of its digital identity system with real users.

The project tested several elements of a digital identity platform and the prototype was used for two different use cases: using data generated by the Young Scot National Entitlement Card application process to open a bank account, and speeding up the application process for the Independent Living Fund.

After successfully testing the system, the government decided to move forward with the development of a digital identity system, including undertaking an options appraisal for creating an attribute ecosystem across Scotland, learning from projects already implementing digital identity, and continuing testing, research and design.

It now hopes to have a system in place by the end of the two-year period.

Scott Logic is the lead implementation and development partner on the project, and will build and develop the platform. It also holds a contract with the Scottish government to create a payment platform for public services.

Stuart Grey, head of consultancy in Edinburgh for Scott Logic, said the platform would be user-driven “It will also reduce time and cost for the public sector when delivering digital services,” he added.

“It is an essential component of the Scottish government’s platform strategy, giving users complete control over how their personal information is used, stored and shared to prove eligibility for a public service or benefit online.”