New contract for digital defence services

A £150 contract has been awarded to UK-based technology services provider, Computacenter for digital services across Defence.

The contract will be supporting tens of thousands of laptops and desktop computers used by MOD personnel worldwide.

It is also hoped the four-year contract will create jobs at Computacenter’s Hatfield and Nottingham sites.  

The new services will reduce operating costs by £84 million and provide a high-quality, secure and sustainable service to defence personnel, enabling defence to more rapidly respond to changing needs and market conditions.

The new contract also represents the MOD's intentions to move away from large, aggregated contracts to smaller, more measurable contracts that will improve organisational flexibility.

Minister for defence procurement, James Cartlidge, said: "Delivering on our digital transformation will ensure high-quality, rapidly accessible global data, which is a critical component of our fighting power. Bolstered technology can strengthen our deterrence, our resilience, and our national prosperity.

"The service will improve performance standards and speed of access across 220,000 devices including laptops, desktops, peripherals and software applications.

MOD chief information Officer, Charles Forte, said: "This new relationship is a significant component in our ongoing progress to bring new business into the team and ensures we are modernising and innovating in support of our international customers to deliver greater value for money."