Atos Origin wins £500m government BPO deal

Atos Origin has won a £500m business process outsourcing (BPO) contract to run medical assessment services for benefits claims to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The seven-year deal is Atos Origin's largest ever UK contract win, although it is a renewal of an existing deal originally signed in 1998. There is also an option for the DWP to extend the contract for a further five years.

Among the technology initiatives planned during the course of the new deal is the introduction of an electronic referral system that will replace the existing paper-based one.

Under the contract, Atos Origin will manage the provision of medical advice and assessments on behalf of the DWP for Incapacity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits, and other benefits.

Atos Origin also published its first set of financial results since the acquisition of Sema Group from Schlumberger, posting a net profit of €11m in 2004.