Lucrative Scottish IT deal up for grabs

North Lanarkshire Council on the hunt for new IT supplier

A Scottish local authority is on the hunt for a new IT supplier to provide it with up to £32m worth of kit.

North Lanarkshire Council, which lies between Glasgow and Edinburgh and serves a population of more than 300,000, has tendered for a new supplier as its current arrangement comes to an end.

According to a contract notice, its existing Service Delivery contract finishes at the end of next year and it is searching for a new supplier now. The new contract will begin on 1 July next year ahead of its full commencement on 1 January 2017.

The deal will be worth between £12m and £32m and will last until the end of 2021, although the council reserves the right to extend it for up to two years.

The council said the supplier must be flexible in order to be chosen.

"The role of the service provider is to assume responsibility for the council's ICT support services and to develop those services in order to meet the council's ICT service requirements over the term of the appointment.

"It is essential that the new contract includes sufficient flexibility to amend the scope of services delivered within the contract to future proof service provision in a fast-moving market. The scope of these services may expand or contract.

"This contract will supplement existing in-house ICT staff, who are responsible corporately for identifying and developing new technologies and strategies for the council and delivering continuous improvement in service delivery and supporting the council change and transformation agendas."