Mapping deal could save councils £100m

A national agreement for mapping and geographic information services could save local authorities more than £100m over its four-year life.

The framework deal, brokered by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) with Ordnance Survey, Intermap and Intelligent Addressing, is the culmination of a collective procurement exercise designed to obtain the best deal for the public sector.

Under the terms of the Mapping Services Agreement (MSA), the latest mapping technology will be available to all councils in England, Scotland and Wales. The information provided by geographic systems is used in a number of local government services, such as the planning application process, road design, and simply for contacting citizens at the correct address.

The biggest benefit of the MSA is the savings made by going through a collective procurement process, says Steve Brandwood, geographic information programme manager for the IDeA.

'The agreement has not only saved considerable money on the list price for the products and services we have bought, but it has saved local government the substantial amount that would usually be spent in the procurement process,' he said.

Consistent digital data helps councils to provide joined-up services and meet egovernment targets. The MSA also allows other public sector bodies to access local authorities' geographic data.

'We have negotiated preferential licensing terms for local authorities to share information between one another and with partner organisations such as central government, police and fire services,' said Brandwood.

The use of central procurement is in line with the government's efficiency agenda. To meet the Chancellor's target of cutting £21.5bn from public sector administration costs by 2007/8, public sector bodies have to outline how and when they can meet their part of the total.

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