2.64 The Department expects to sign a contract with STL for the software application by January 2003. This will be a licence arrangement together with enhancement and software support. A systems integrator will then be appointed to roll out and run the application, develop and run a data warehouse, run the interfaces with other criminal justice organisations and manage the interface with the infrastructure being supplied by ICL. The systems integrator will also provide the programme management service linking the contractors together. The Department expects to appoint the systems integrator by competition towards the end of 2003. The aim is to complete most of the roll-out of the new application by the end of 2004.
2.65 The Department recognises that this is not intended to be a long-term solution but to provide a robust low-cost, low-risk, standard national application, which will support Magistrates' Courts Committees at least through to 2007. This date has been chosen to coincide with the expiry of contracts for existing Crown and county court IT systems thus allowing a cross-court solution to be developed thereafter. The standard national application will, however, be capable of providing a solution beyond 2007 if necessary, and the contract for the application includes extension options to provide the Department with that flexibility.