Member Article

IT innovators sought for public sector digital overhaul

The Government is looking for IT firms who can play a part in the digital transformation of public services.

As part of a roadshow to engage with IT supplier, the Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude announced the initiative that is aimed at developing Civil Service digital skills.

As part of the Civil Service Reform Plan, digital strategies set out how departments will redesign or create new online services with the support of the Government Digital Service.

The first wave of services to be redesigned include driving test bookings, tax returns, and state pension applications, and the Government aim to save £1.2bn in the process.

Francis Maude said: “The way that government does business is changing. The days of waste and inefficiency, when public sector IT was dominated by overlong, restrictive contracts with a supplier oligopoly, are on the way out.

“We are making it easier for companies of all sizes to win government business. We want to see agile, innovative suppliers working with government on shorter, bespoke contracts to create the digital systems that support 21st century public services.

“There are software and services companies out there that fit the new agile model for public sector IT but have never done business with us or could do more. The roadshow visiting Birmingham today is designed to tell these innovative suppliers about the opportunities that are opening up, and to explain how they can bid more effectively for them.

“We want the best suppliers for government and to stimulate the growth potential in the UK IT sector. Much has been already been done over the past two years to remove obstacles to business, but we know there’s more to do and we want to hear from suppliers about barriers that remain so we can get on to do something about them.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .