The process for selecting vendors for the New Payments Platform is chugging along, with the Australian Payments Clearing Association spelling out the pre-qualification method yesterday "to validate the appetite of vendors to either individually or collectively provide the necessary 'basic infrastructure' services."The basic infrastructure services are switching, networking and addressing services.APCA said that vendors must be able to provide an end-to-end service (design, implement and operate) for each service."Experience in an industry-wide program" and "at least one reference for a comparable implementation completed within the last 10 years" are two of the criteria vendors must satisfy.APCA has also made it clear that vendors "must be able to provide a locally managed implementation and operation for each individual service."On the other hand, APCA said that it did "not preclude overseas vendors, or vendors utilising an onshore/offshore model to deliver services."The NPP will be the new infrastructure for low-value electronic payments incorporating real-time settlement.KPMG is the program manager for the real-time payments program being coordinated by APCA.APCA expects to shortlist vendors for these services by March 14, 2014.