3 The Home Office has identified how the new accommodation will help it achieve its business requirement to deliver an up-to-date, flexible workplace providing an efficient and effective IT platform and the range and quality of facilities expected of an employer of high calibre staff in central London. Although the Home Office is not due to move into its new accommodation until 2005, it needs to make good use of the time available and take steps early enough to secure the benefits and ensure that they are measurable.
4 The relationship between the accommodation project and Home Office and Prison Service IT projects is complex. The rapid change in information technology meant that determining a specification for the IT infrastructure proved difficult and the Home Office decided to delay agreeing the specification beyond financial close by 12 months rather than risk having to change it later. The IT specification was agreed on time and includes some technology enhancements. The cost of these enhancements is being negotiated with AGP but the Home Office is confident it will get a fair price. The IT programme is now on track but there is still some way to go. Although AGP will install the IT infrastructure, it will not be responsible for its maintenance. The Home Office, therefore, needs to examine other options for infrastructure maintenance and expects to source it in 2004.