ITNet beats IBM to £3m contract

E-government specialist ITNet has ousted IBM Global Services from a £3m contract with the Cotswold District Council.

The British company beat its global competitor, which previously held the contract, on both price and track record according to Bob Austin, the District Council's director of central services.

"We were impressed with their approach to e-government, which is a challenge for a relatively small council like our's," Austin told silicon.com. "We were looking for an ICT partner rather than just a contractor."

The contract will cover desktop support, business process and e-services over a five-year period. The announcement also comes in time to support the Council's Implementing Electronic Government (IEG) statement due to be delivered to Whitehall next week.

Despite ITNet's ongoing wrangles over the benefits system it built for Hackney Borough Council, the Cotswold District Council believes it has a strong reputation in the public sector.

"We were well aware of the situation with Hackney, but it probably says more about the benefits system than ITNet," explained Austin. "They're not the only outsourced supplier who have had problems with the benefits service."