COMMERCE MEDIA WINS CONTRACT EXTENSION FROM DISPOSAL SERVICES AUTHORITY
IT security solutions provider, Commerce Media, has had its contract to provide hosting, support, back office processing and development services for the Disposal Services Authority (DSA) website extended until 2011. The award-winning site, www.edisposals.com, is used by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to sell surplus stock, ranging from army clothing to decommissioned Royal Navy ships.
As part of the extended contract, Commerce Media will be responsible for developing the site to:
- Allow users to purchase goods online with added confidence, by giving them the option to authenticate themselves each time they log in to the site via Commerce Media's secure and robust two-factor authentication solution, Celo. Currently, Celo is only used by verify pre-registered contractors before they can gain access to the site to list products for sale.
- Create a separate, secure sales channel for the MoD to sell copies of paintings which are held in the MoD art collection online.
- Feature a business listings directory for public sector organisations and private sector companies that are registered with the site to dispose of unwanted assets.
Commerce Media has been working with the DSA since 2003, when the company built the DSA website to exacting specifications. It subsequently developed a critical security application for the site, Celo, to authenticate pre-authorised contractors. Based on two-factor authentication techniques, Celo requests the contractor to input a password online. This prompts the delivery of a unique password, sent by text message, to their mobile phone number which has been pre-registered with the site. The SMS password, which is received within seconds by the contractor, is also entered online, allowing the contractor access to the website's secure pages. This type of solution is referred to as two-factor authentication, because it relies on the user proving something they know - a password - plus something they have - in this case a pre-registered mobile phone.
The implementation of Celo has resulted in significant cost-savings and reduced admin levels for the DSA, while providing the highest levels of security and convenience for contractors. It has also led the site to win an e-Government Excellence Award for Shared Services in 2009. The e-Government National Awards offer the UK's highest level of praise for e-government and technology driven services which have improved citizen and business transactions within the public sector.
Celo has also won national applause as a standalone application. It was a highly commended finalist in the Best SME Security Solution category at the 2009 SC Magazine Europe Awards.
Michael Robertson, Managing Director of Commerce Media, comments: "We have developed a close working relationship with the DSA over the years and are extremely proud of the award winning website that we have jointly delivered. As part of our new agreement, we will be working on some significant and exciting advancements to the site, not least that purchasers, as well as contractors, will be able to benefit from secure two factor authentication at log in. We are delighted to continue this work until 2011 and look forward to enabling the DSA to maximize its delivery of e-Government services."
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