Highways Agency tenders for a central IT scheme

Following completion of an IT transformation programme

The Highways Agency has published a tender for a fully integrated and centralised database

The Highways Agency has published a tender for a fully integrated and centralised database worth between £35m and £40m.

The deal will support the agency’s strategic road network operations, and will see the chosen supplier provide data processing, database and software-related services.

The company is also looking for a supplier to set up a data transmission network and telecommunications cables – this is worth £18m and includes the supply of optical fibre cables, insulated wire cables and cable broadcasting lines. The deal will be awarded to one supplier and will run for four years.

"The supplier will be required to effectively and efficiently manage a supply chain of subcontractors, manufacturing to precise quality standards providing the above cable types to strict delivery requirements and delivering a high standard of supply chain management expertise against minimum performance standards," the agency said.

This move follows the completion of an IT transformation process spearheaded by Denise Plumpton in January this year. Following Plumpton’s departure in the same month, the company has seen a restructure. The position of chief information officer (CIO) has been split into several roles.

Simon Sheldon-Wilson, who is in charge of traffic management and live traffic data, has been promoted to the board, along with Steve Williams who is now in charge of business services, overseeing IT services and IT strategy. Both these roles were originally part of the CIO’s remit.

Chris Price heads up the IT services division and Richard Willson is in charge of IT strategy; both reported to Plumpton prior to her departure but now report to Williams.