Scottish Water consolidates contracts
Scottish Water has announced its award of £120m to three international IT and telecoms corporations. This is to support the drive to improve standards in a move expected to generate £1m efficiency savings annually. It has awarded contracts to Tata Consultancy Services, Fujitsu and BT for services including developing new software applications, providing helpdesks for staff and running voice communications networks.
Under the new contracts Scottish Water will rely on a smaller number of companies than it has done in the past. The company hopes to deliver a higher level of service while saving £8m over the next eight years, helped by making efficiency savings by using fewer suppliers.
The company said the latest initiative came after six years of heavy investment in developing IT systems to support a major transformation of the organisation in order to meet efficiency and service challenges set by the industry regulator.
David Brown, GM for IT, said: "This announcement is the culmination of a great deal of hard work from both the suppliers and Scottish Water. It is a rounded package of benefits that delivers significant cost savings, an enhanced service and the opportunity to exploit the extensive development capabilities of some of the most innovative companies in the business."
Scottish Water said Tata Consultancy Services - part of the Indian-owned giant, Tata - would provide applications management and support services. Japan's Fujitsu will provide a service desk and support the company's desktop and related infrastructure. BT will provide communications services covering mobile, data and voice networks.
As Edinburgh roadworks for the new tram system cracks mains pipes, so water flows unheeded for days along gutters, repairs seem to take a considerable time. With the new contract, hopefully the public can at least alert the public-owned utility quickly. Response however, may be another thing.
Source http://www.theherald.co.uk
Web: http://www.scottishwater.co.uk