Directgov, the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) have signed a joint contract with outsourcing and technology firm Xansa to set up and manage an internet platform.
The contract is worth £27m over five years and will involve Xansa providing fully managed web and content management services to the departments.
The internet platform will initially support Directgov – the portal for access to government services which was transferred to the Central Office of InformationI earlier this week - the DoH's corporate web service and a number of electronic services from the DfES.
A spokesperson for Xansa told Government Computing News the first phase of implementation would take place in July, when the company will handle the departments' migrations away from the internet platforms on which they are currently working. It plans to add functions to Directgov and manage the access for the franchisees that provide content for the site.
Kevin McLean, head of Strategy and Performance Unit, Technology Group at the DfES, said: "Our aim is cost-effective, high quality public sector online services so that people can quickly connect with what they need. This innovative partnership across government will deliver cost efficiencies and improved quality of e-government services."
Other government departments will be able to join The Club in the future.
Quelle: KableNET, 31.03.2006
