The formal procurement process for the government's biometric national identity card scheme has finally started.

The intitial competition is expected to take around nine months and will create a preferred list of five prime contractors to bid for future deals to develop and run the scheme.

Individual deals worth around £2bn will then be let through a series of mini competitions. The first are expected to be a replacement fingerprint system and the enrolment application for both passports and ID cards.

The deals are expected to be signed towards the end of 2008 and the first cards rolled out to UK citizens by late 2009.

Home Office minister Meg Hillier said: 'The National Identity Scheme will be a crucial part of the UK's key national infrastructure, and bring the way we prove identity into the 21st century.

'It is a groundbreaking project, with the potential for huge benefits for individuals and for the nation.

'As the framework procurement makes clear, we are committed to introducing the scheme carefully and securely, minimising both cost and risk,' she said.

The procurement process was orginally expected to start in the Spring but was delayed by the handover from Tony Blair to Gordon Brown.