Transforming public services with digital: apply for contracts

6 Jul 2016 10:39 AM

Businesses have been challenged by the Scottish public sector to come up with ways of improving services through using digital technology.

Businesses could win contracts worth thousands of pounds to explore digital solutions to six challenges set by local authorities in Scotland.

The CivTech competition backed by the Scottish Government is a significant opportunity for entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs and other businesses to work with public authorities on transforming services through digital innovation.

The six challenges are:

• how can we help improve air quality in urban areas?
• how can we make our flood forecasting information better used by a wider audience?
• how can we get health and social care data and analysis to the widest possible audience?
• how can we make our data publications more accessible and appealing?
• how can we promote the tourist destinations along the A9?
• how can we use technology to design smart roads?

Competition information

Each of the challenges has been set by a public sector organisation. Up to three organisations could win initial contracts worth £2,000 to explore a solution to each of the challenges over a two-week period.

One organisation will then be chosen for each challenge and awarded a £15,000 contract to spend three months exploring the idea further.

Further contracts could also be awarded for more field-testing and implementation prior to a full product launch. The value of the final contracts is likely to vary challenge by challenge.

The closing date for the competition is 1 August 2016.

Find out more about this competition and apply.