MoD awards devices contract to Computacenter

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a £150 million contract to UK-based technology services provider, Computacenter, to manage user devices.

The four-year contract will support tens of thousands of laptops and desktop computers used by MoD personnel worldwide, from head office to the front line. It will also create additional jobs at Computacenter’s Hatfield and Nottingham sites.

The MoD estimates the deal will reduce operating costs by around £84 million, and “provide a high-quality, secure and sustainable service to defence personnel, enabling defence to respond more rapidly to changing needs and market conditions.”

The MoD also noted that the contract represents a wider MoD move away from large, aggregated contracts to smaller, more measurable contracts that will improve organisational flexibility. The department is investing more than £4 billion annually in its digital transformation to streamline its processes and increase its operational capability.

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 CIO, 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.”