DWP desktop services contract goes to Fujitsu

HP-EDS loses out as key contract come up for tender

The DWP is a heavy spender on IT

Fujitsu has won the contract to manage desktop services for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from incumbent supplier HP-EDS.

The DWP's IT systems are grouped into three "towers" - desktop PC services, hosting services, and application maintenance. All were previously run by supplier EDS, now a part of HP.

While DWP has renewed the hosting contract with EDS, it chose to put out tenders for the other towers, with the application maintenance contract award expected to be made later this year.

This six year Fujitsu contract is the single biggest desktop and thin client outsource deal in the UK and will see Fujitsu reduce the total cost of ownership of the DWP's 140,000 strong desktop estate.

Primarily this will come from adopting thin client systems to reduce desk-side support and hardware costs as well as saving tens of millions of pounds in electricity consumption.

Joe Harley, chief information officer at the DWP said: "This is the first in a series of competitions to replace our existing IT and telephony services contracts by 2015 and it sets the tone by delivering significant benefits for the Department and as a framework for Government wide IT."

The DWP's communications are run by BT, which announced a three year, ₤237m contract extension last week.