The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in NI has already spent around £10.9m in development costs on a new system to replace its animal traceability system APHIS, but doubt remains as to the future of the project.

Back in 2016, Belfast-based software company AMT-Sybex was awarded an £8.7m contract for an initial nine-year period to develop a new NI food animal information system (NIFAIS).

The plan had been to switch APHIS off towards the end of 2018 and start using NIFAIS.

Milestones have not been met

However, during a briefing session with MLAs on the Stormont agriculture committee today (Thursday), DAERA deputy secretary Brian Doherty confirmed that various milestones have not been met and that the Department is currently reviewing all aspects of the contract.

“Unfortunately the quality of the software received to date wasn’t up to the quality standard,” explained Doherty.

He said that officials are currently considering a rectification plan from the company with a view to getting a firm date when some of the various stages will be completed.

officials had little option but to give other suppliers the opportunity to deliver the service

“That will result in a decision from the Department,” he added.

AHPIS has been operational in NI since 1998 and while it is still operationally ‘fit for purpose’, it is outdated and needs to be replaced, insist DAERA officials.

However, also driving the need for change is that the initial contract to deliver APHIS was for 10 years, and DAERA has been working on short-term contracts ever since.

Legally, officials had little option but to give other suppliers the opportunity to deliver the service.

Ironically, the APHIS contract is with AMT-Sybex, the same company employed to deliver NIFAIS.

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