Industry news

The Home Office plans to reshape its strategy to procuring and building IT Systems by lowering barriers allowing smaller providers to bid. The new strategy aims to cut costs by moving away from larger end to end contracts. The Home office have said that the new strategy will reduce reliance on a single supplier and allow for a more flexible approach to systems improvement.

Home Office tenders for emergency services network

A pre-tender has been issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for its IT transformation, to determine the best approach with its current contracts. The IT Transformation Programme (ITTP) is to help DWP deliver change in its major contracts keeping in mind their overall strategy. An ‘industry day’ is due to take place in July to update potential suppliers on the tender and to allow unsuitable providers to opt out.

DWP chooses service tower model for IT

Brisbane Airport needed to expand after its Data centre reached capacity in 2013. Brisbane Airport considered building its own secondary data centre but found it was more cost-effective to outsource. After deciding to outsource its data centre to iseek the Eagle Farm data centre was set up and running within three months. The deal saved Brisbane Airport millions of dollars in upfront capital costs.

Salesforce data centre opens in the UK

According to Gartner analyst Claudio Da Rold in a recent article, the outsourcing market is transforming and like many others its changing due to digital influences.

“Digital business” is allowing companies to take advantage of new opportunities and where the differences between physical and digital are becoming increasingly blurred. Gartner estimates that by 2020, there will be at least 26 billion connected “things” (excluding PCs, tablets and smartphones) and as these increase so will the information flow and new disruptive ways to do business.

Claudio goes on to say that “Outsourcing is in the process of being reborn, as adaptive sourcing. This demands that organisations have an outsourcing strategy with distinct layers that operate at the pace of the business outcomes they facilitate. This strategy must be as flexible as is needed. It must involve more integration of third-party applications and services with internal systems, as well as greater collaboration with stakeholders inside and outside the organisation.”

Economic uncertainty drives IT transformation

The NOA is happy to announce the shortlist for the 2nd annual Outsourcing Professional Awards. Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony taking place at the illustrious Shakespeare’s Globe in London on the 4th September.

These shortlisted entries represent individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond to make outsourcing work. The awards are designed to display that outsourcing isn’t just about contracts, it’s about the people, and seek to recognise the talents of the broad array of the outsourcing professions including: relationship managers; operations directors; CIOs; consultants; lawyers, who drive and achieve outstanding success within the industry.

The glittering evening will honour those shortlisted and will also give others the chance to network with the outsourcing elite and hear from thought-leading professionals who have delivered, advised and managed the very best in transformational outsourcing projects.

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Outsourcing Rising Star of the Year

Jessica Ricketts, Senior Consultant, Deloitte

Anthony Day, Partner, DLA Piper

Nicolo Saa, Sourcing Advisor, Source

Outsourcing Professional of the Year

Kevin S. Parikh, Global CEO and Sr. Partner, Avasant

Yousif Al-Adhami, Director, IT Sourcing, Consulting, Deloitte

Kit Burden, Partner, Head of Technology and Sourcing, DLA Piper

John McKinlay, Partner, DLA Piper

Andrew Burgess, Director, Source

Ian Crawford, Sourcing Partner, Strategic Sourcing, Sourcing & Procurement, Group Operations, Zurich Insurance

Award for Academic Achievement

Prof. Ilan Oshri, Director, Loughborough Research Centre for Global Sourcing and Services

Philip Allery, Founder, Prescience Outsourcing Limited

Award for Personal Development in Outsourcing

Martin Edwards, Business Consultant, Banctec

James Cuthell, Finance Service and Transformation Manager, Everything Everywhere Ltd

Tina Rizzo, Head of Service Integration, Everything Everywhere Ltd

Philip Allery, Founder, Prescience Outsourcing Limited

Glenn Quadros, General Counsel, SCES Outsourcing and IT, Unilever

Best Relationship Management Team

Aviva

BBC & Capita

UKAR

Best IT Outsourcing Team

Miratech

NashTech & King's College London

Objectivity Ltd - Ascentric

Best Finance & Accounts Outsourcing Team

Caliber Point Business Solutions Ltd

Parseq

SKS Business Services Ltd & Malabar Cotton Company Ltd

Best Outsourced Customer Service Team

60K Ltd

Firstsource & giffgaff

Sensée- HRG Homeagent Network

Best Business Process Outsourcing Team

Firstsource & giffgaff

Parseq

SPi Global

Tata Consultancy Services BPS

Best Offshored Outsourcing Team

Firstsource

GFT UK & Deutsche Bank

NashTech

Objectivity Ltd - Ascentric

SPi Global

Award for Skills Development Programme of the Year

BBC & Capita

BPeSA

eClerx Services Ltd

Tata Consultancy Services BPS

Tech Mahindra Ltd

Contact details:

National Outsourcing Association

44 Wardour Street, London, W1D 6QZ

Email: admin@noa.co.uk

Phone: +44(0)20 7292 8680

South Western, an Irish business process outsourcing company announced the creation of 260 jobs at the opening of their new offices at Little Island on the outskirts of Cork city. The new jobs will bring the total workforce to 1,100 employees. South Western clients includes Bord Gais Energy, Independent News & Media and the UK’s Department of Environment, food and Rural Affairs.

UK economic output speeds up as housing and job markets grow

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has written off £56m spent on an IT project after finding out it was late, over budget and was duplicated by the Cabinet Office. Steria was one of three companies contracted to run the MoJ programme worth £116m, their roles included staffing, procurement and payroll. Staff working for the joint venture company SSCL, will strike today over claims that a number of their jobs will be lost while others will be moved to India.

It’s been a mixed month for Serco

According to an article in the Guardian by Tom Gash (Director of Research at the Institute for Government), whilst its right to ensure contracted partners behave ethically, the Government need to do more.

He argues that although the report by the Committee on Standards in Public Life asks for service providers to adopt the seven principles of public life, just adopting these standards won’t solve the problems in government outsourcing.

He states that “selflessness” might need reinterpreting for profit making companies to have compatibility with the private sector’s duty to generate return for shareholders, but in terms of integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership there shouldn’t be a problem.

However, he warns that more needs to be done to ensure outsourcing success. Tom calls for more transparency, argues that ethical standards are no replacement for competence and asks for clearer commitment from all ministers and the civil service leadership to take contracting more seriously.

Outsourcing to take a hit at the next general election

Hampshire County Council is looking to investment up to £20.7m in telecare provision over the next five years in order to cater for a rise in demand from elderly constituents. The telecare system is designed to help elderly residents stay independent in their homes. Argenti Telehealthcare Partnership currently provides this service for Hampshire, the contract started in October 2013 and they estimate will save £315,00 in the first year.

Capita awarded £24 mil contract for children’s IT services

Everest groups annual report; 2014: Expanding New Horizons findings show a 12 percent growth of global multi-process Procurement Outsourcing in 2013. Everest’s Annual report also found that 75 percent of procurement contracts contained human resources categories, up from 67 percent the previous year.

Latest scheme to outsource MoD procurement meets criticism