Computacenter wins £65m Network Rail deal

Five-year Desktop Transformation deal part of Network Rail's long-term strategy for improving its service

Computacenter has scooped a £65m desktop deal with Network Rail as part of the company's efforts to improve rail services in the long term.

The Desktop Transformation Services (DTS) contract will be worth £65m over a five-year period and will see Computacenter deliver desktop services including hardware, software, licensing and peripherals to Network Rail, according to a recently published contract award notice.

In its interim financial statement released yesterday, Computacenter put its optimistic forecast for its latest financial year's revenue partly down to a surge in services contract wins.

The DTS deal forms part of Network Rail's long-term strategic plan, which was set out at the beginning of last year.

In the strategy documents, Network Rail - which is responsible for running and maintaining the UK's railway infrastructure and some large stations - said technology would play a big part in its future.

In its Strategic Business Plan for England and Wales, it said: "Technology will transform delivery and the way customers interface with the railway.

"The proliferation of smartphones and mobile devices over the last decade has set a trend for increased real-time interaction from consumers that looks set to continue. This is resulting in demands for new information systems and smart ticketing.

"Innovation is changing the day-to-day operation of the railways, with consolidation of signalling activities, increased metering of energy consumption, and frontline devices - such as the new lookout operated warning system - improving safety to staff working on the railway ."

As part of its new technological focus, Network Rail said it plans to reduce its frontline operations staff by 4,000 over the coming years.