17 August 2009 | Jake Kanter
Guidance to help the public sector write IT contracts has been updated by the UK's Office of Government Commerce.
The organisation has published a new ICT model services agreement which aims to make it easier for public bodies to purchase complex IT and telecoms systems, while also saving time and money.
It was published in conjunction with treasury agency Partnerships UK and follows consultation with key figures in the IT industry, as well as technology sector membership group Intellect.
The model contract aims to ensure public bodies and suppliers work together to improve delivery of IT projects. It also includes a requirement for important subcontractors to report and mitigate the risk of financial problems.
David Shields, OGC programme director, said: "The success of projects requiring ICT support depend upon those services being contracted in the most appropriate and efficient way, and the ICT model contract that we have developed with industry bodies and other stakeholders can provide a great deal of assurance."
Sureyya Cansoy, head of public sector programmes at Intellect, described the guidance as a "valuable" step forward.
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