The government has promised to deliver better value for money from vendors as the cost of equipment leaps in the second half of 2025.
Crown Commercial Services, responsible for public sector procurement, has published a pipeline notice, confirming intention to buy off-the-shelf hardware. This includes laptops, desktops, smartphones, peripherals, printers, mice, scanners and any other kit that users interact with.
The announced also covers software, and support services, such as open source licenses, maintenance contracts and recycling. Vendors must agree to discount pricing based on an overall spend of £24 billion, including VAT.
Known as the Technology Products and Associated Services (TePAS) 3 framework, the plan supersedes the second iteration, awarded in November 2023. This was valued at £8 billion, although the expenditure later increased to £12 billion across four years. All agreements are due to expire in October 2027.
Public sector IT procurement has long been a contentious issue due to spiralling costs and the risk of disconnected platforms. In June, Labour launched the National Digital Exchange as part of its plan for change, essentially creating a one-stop online shop for the civil service to access pre-approved technology deals. Process are negotiated nationally, keeping costs comparatively low.
Earlier this month, we reported on Dorset Council’s transition to Oracle Fusion, at a cost of more than £14 million over the next three years. The ‘enterprise resource planning solution’ will replace the authority’s existing SAP platform, but has in the past led to major difficulties during the switch. West Sussex County Council, for example, saw an anticipated £2.6 price tag rocket to £40 million, while Birmingham City Council’s projected £20 million bill wound up costing closer to £100 million.
Image: Tarn Nguyen / Unsplash
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