Met police finger Capgemini and EDS for £650m IT deal

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has shortlisted Capgemini and EDS for an IT outsourcing contract that could be worth up to £650m.

silicon.com exclusively revealed last year how the MPS was looking to consolidate three key IT contracts into one big outsourcing 'megadeal' that it said will be worth "in excess" of £50m a year for up to 13 years.

The force is looking for a single supplier and has now shortlisted two consortia for the final tendering stage - Cubit, led by Capgemini, and metAgility, led by EDS.

The existing contracts that are being consolidated by the MPS are a £125m desktop and network support services deal signed in 1999 with Sema (now Atos Origin), a £75m Damovo telephony contract and a £60m eight-year deal signed in 2000 with EDS to run the force's crime reporting system.

The MPS said in a statement that agreements are in place to ensure continuity of service until the tender process is completed.

"During this period our suppliers will complete their current programme of work and introduce agreed improvements to response times and service availability."

The contract for the MPS's core IT service supplier is part of a wider programme to re-tender contracts in a number of areas. These contracts were originally outsourced in 1998 and 1999 and include pay and pensions, transport and facilities management.