techUK
 Printable version
|
What is Defra seeking to achieve through its UnITy programme?
Throughout the year, the Defra & the Environment Agency will be engaging with industry to renew their joined-up IT project.
techUK has been engaging with the UnITy programme over the last year, helping the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency (EA) engage with industry and find the best solutions to meet their needs. They're now looking to renew a large part of their infrastructure, and have shared the below with techUK members.
UnITy, a key enabler for Defra transformation
Successfully delivering Defra’s 2020 strategy will require flexible, resilient and secure ICT services and technology. Defra is modernising and transforming its ICT infrastructure, services and commercial approach to make it more collaborative, more efficient and more integrated. The UnITy programme is a key enabler for that change.
What are we looking to achieve?
The UnITy programme will replace the ICT services currently provided to Defra by IBM and to the Environment Agency by Capgemini. These contracts are due to end in January 2018 and February 2017 respectively.The programme will increase Defra’s in-house ICT management capabilities and involve a wider range of suppliers.
The UnITy programme will provide modern, common ICT services to Defra, the Environment Agency, the Rural Payments Agency, Natural England, The Marine Management Organisation and The Animal and Plant Health Agency.
UnITy will ensure staff across these organisations use ICT to work as ‘one Defra’. We will ensure our ICT costs us less to run and maintain by 2020 and is provided by dynamic ICT supplier organisations.
Key to all of this is to ensure that there is reliable, flexible and user-friendly ICT for our staff and customers.
Reaching a key milestone
UnITy has recently reached a significant milestone issuing its first Prior Information Notices to the supplier market to work with Defra on providing a Managed Print Service and Hosting requirements. We have also issued a request for information on Connectivity for local area network. These are important steps forward for the programme and demonstrate that we are moving into delivery mode.
What’s next?
We have a number of supplier engagement days planned in May. These events will be crucial for us to be able to continue our discussions with the supplier market, helping to shape our final requirements and determine our procurement options over coming months.
- Managed Print engagement workshop - 28 April
- Hosting & Applications Management engagement workshop - 16 May
- Connectivity engagement workshop - 31 May (register here!)
Want to keep in touch?
Contact UnITyCommercial@environment-agency.gov.uk to register interest in the UnITy programme or to join the UnITy supplier group on Yammer to ensure you receive updates from the programme.
