Fujitsu nets STG100m PSNI contract

06-02-2008

by Deirdre McArdle

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has awarded a STG100 million managed services contract to European IT services company Fujitsu.

The initial contract is worth STG34 million; over an eight-year period the contract is valued at STG100 million. For that, Fujitsu is tasked with helping the PSNI to consolidate its existing, multiple IT service providers into one single provider. Currently the PSNI has over five IT suppliers providing its IT systems.

In all, Fujitsu will be responsible for the provision and management of the PSNI's service desk, fixed line telephony network, data networks (covering WAN and LAN), desktop and laptop computer requirements, applications hosting services, a network of static and mobile automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras and applications support services.

The PSNI says the contract will have a positive effect on its front-line officers and other staff, who it said will benefit from a 24/7 on-site support desk, aimed at improving the speed with which IT queries are handled. Fujitsu will also manage maintenance and servicing of between 8,000 and 10,000 staff PCs and laptops.

"The agreement with Fujitsu will also allow existing ICT staff within the PSNI to work on other more strategic projects. We can reduce the complexity of service management for our staff by consolidating to a single supplier. There will be a better structure around reporting of issues and it will be much easier to manage and report on ICT performance," explained John Tully, head of information and communications services at the PSNI.

Fujitsu has been building quite a base for itself in Northern Ireland in the past year. In June the firm announced it was to invest STG18 million in the region and establish a managed IT services Centre of Excellence at Derry's Timber Quay, which will bring 400 jobs to the region. In August, Fujitsu announced a further 30 jobs for Belfast. In all, Fujitsu employs around 1,000 people on the island of Ireland.

This contract with the PSNI is just the latest in a number of high-profile wins for Fujitsu. In August 2007 it netted a STG500 million deal with Reuters worldwide, in December it was awarded a EUR3 million deal with the Revenue Commissioners and in January 2008 it won a contract with the Irish Courts Service valued at an estimated EUR16 million.