1.10 One of the business requirements identified by the Home Office is an efficient and effective IT platform and there is a close relationship between modernisation of accommodation and programmes to modernise information technology. At present the Home Office and the Prison Service have separate IT systems provided through two separate PFI deals and there are complex interfaces between these projects and the IT infrastructure in the new building. While the PFI contractor will be responsible for installing the infrastructure in the new building, it is not responsible for its maintenance. Procurement of provision of infrastructure maintenance is planned for 2004.
1.11 The rapid change in information technology meant that determining a specification for the IT infrastructure acceptable to the IT providers proved difficult and the Home Office decided to delay agreeing the specification beyond financial close by 12 months rather than precipitate a less than acceptable solution with the risk of having to change it again. This arrangement was reflected in the contract. A final specification was agreed on time and includes some enhancements. The cost of these enhancements is being negotiated with AGP but the Home Office is confident it will get a fair price. To proceed to financial close with one element of the specification outstanding is an unusual step but the Home Office considers that there have been benefits to this approach as it was possible to take advantage of developments in a rapid moving technology such as the 'electronic patch management'3 concept, a technology that allows a more flexible management of IT provision.
1.12 The Home Office have identified a number of learning points for future projects:
■ Robust and professional project management is required for a complex project with a number of interfaces. Initially, the interface between the accommodation project and the IT projects was not managed effectively, but in 2002 a working group was set up to provide leadership; and
■ It might have been better if it had been clearer earlier who would be responsible for maintaining the infrastructure. The Home Office originally intended one or both of the IT providers to take responsibility and it only became clear at a later stage that IT infrastructure might have been better managed by the accommodation provider. By this time, AGP had already been selected as preferred bidder and was not prepared to take on responsibility for IT infrastructure maintenance. In competitive tension, AGP might have been more willing to do this, possibly by subcontracting the work to a specialist IT supplier.
1.13 The IT project is currently on track but there is still some way to go to ensure that the IT works when the building is ready in 2005. For example, the Home Office still needs to finalise infrastructure maintenance requirements and undertake the procurement, plan and negotiate arrangements for the move with the IT service providers and undertake infrastructure testing prior to the move. It will be particularly important to ensure that AGP delivers infrastructure that is acceptable to the Home Office, the IT service providers and the infrastructure maintenance contractor. Unlike the rest of the building, once the infrastructure has been accepted by these parties, the PFI contractor will no longer be responsible for it. The Home Office believes that the commissioning and handover arrangements have been carefully considered and fully reflected in the contract.
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3 This technology allows changes to individual’s computer accounts to be made electronically and therefore remotely. Previously changes were made manually so the IT service providers required access.