By 2007 the market for RFID integration and consulting services will surpass the market for RFID hardware. That's according to a report by ABI, a research firm.

ABI forecasts an integration services market of over $1 Billion (USD) by 2006.

So far integration services have taken a back seat in RFID planning. Most of the emphasis has been on compliance-level solutions to meet short-term RFID mandates by companies such as Walmart and Tesco.

But that will all change. As companies discover the benefits of RFID throughout their enterprises, demand will rapidly grow for full-scale RFID implementations. RFID solutions will need to adapt to and interoperate with legacy IT and logistics applications. To do that, integration consulting services are a must:

"Any changes to existing enterprise systems require architectural mapping, systems programming and testing, and company-wide change management implementations. Companies with deep experience in this space, including Accenture, BearingPoint, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, IBM, and Unisys, are increasing their focus on RFID, but have a long way to go to meet staffing needs...."

Sounds like a promising business opportunity for some of the large integration consulting firms -- and a promising employment opportunity for qualified individuals.