The long-anticipated Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project is gaining traction, with the Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the appointment of a Master Systems Integrator (MSI) scheduled to close in the first week of August.
This development marks a key milestone in the Government’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Speaking to the media, Ministry of Digital Economy Acting Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala confirmed that the project remained firmly on course despite public speculation over delays.
“The project is still on track. In fact, just yesterday, the Indian Government held its first pre-meeting for the pre-qualification of service providers. The process is actively moving forward,” he said.
The SLUDI initiative is being significantly supported through a grant from the Indian Government, with the MSI playing a central role in designing, developing, supplying, delivering, installing, implementing, supporting, and maintaining the software, hardware, and infrastructure for the project.
According to Dhanapala, once the integrator is selected, the platform will be officially transferred to the Government prior to handling any live citizen data – a move aimed at safeguarding data sovereignty and building public trust.
Crucially, the system will also be managed by a local service provider once operational, ensuring that domestic expertise remains at the heart of the project’s long-term maintenance and development. Dhanapala claimed that the structure was designed to foster local capacity while securing sensitive national data.
The bidding process is being conducted using Limited International Competitive Bidding (LICB) with a Single-Stage Two-Envelope procedure, governed by the Procurement Guidelines of the Sri Lankan Government.
To be eligible, the successful bidder must be an Indian company incorporated under India’s Companies Act 2013 and not have been blacklisted. Qualification criteria for eligible bidders include extensive experience in implementing/integrating IT systems as a lead contractor or lead system integrator in the last five years.
They must also have successfully completed at least one software solution for a foundational ID platform valued at no less than INR 110 crore or two projects each valued at no less than INR 70 crore within the last 10 years.
Additionally, the MSI should possess ISO 9001:2015 or latest, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 or latest, and CMMI Level III certifications.
While the total cost of the project has yet to be publicly disclosed, the closing of the MSI tender signals a shift from planning to execution.
Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) Acting CEO Sanjaya Karunasena stated that the cost of the project could not be premeditated. “The tender process of the MSI project is yet to be concluded, so that would determine one cost, but that is not the only tender to be issued. We will only be able to confirm the final cost once all the tender processes have been finalised,” he said.