Lancashire Council plans £1.9bn shared services framework

Lancashire County Councilis on the lookout for suppliers to provide up to £1.9 billion worth of IT services, which will be shared with its twelve borough councils, Cumbria County Council and other local bodies over a ten year period.

Days before Christmas the council issued a contract notice, for a deal under which up to five lead suppliers are likely to participate. Suppliers have until 29 January to request participation in the tendering process.

Services covered include IT consultancy and support, technological strategic review services, project management, system integration, the development of customer relationship management software and front line systems, provision of human resources systems, pension fund administration systems, data management and financial management.

The deal will also address networking, provision of hardware and software, helpdesk services, user training, printing, and school IT services and related software development.

The other councils that will procure from the agreement are Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre. Also included are Lancashire Police, Lancashire Combined Fire Authority, the University of Central Lancashire and Lancaster University.

CIO 100 ranked Lancashire County Councilexpects to spend £92 million annually on the services, with the other councils spending a combined total of £60 million. Lancashire police envision spending £11 million a year, Lancashire fire £2 million, and the universities will spend an annual total of up to £22 million.

“The partnership is intended to deliver medium and long term cost benefits, increased efficiency, sustainable and effective services, and improved performance delivery with the primary aim of ensuring the best possible outcomes for the citizens of Lancashire,” the council stated in the contract notice.