‘Managed service communication provider’ Kcom has won a Public Services Network (PSN) style contract in the East Midlands. Kcom has been chosen to build the core network for the East Midlands PSN (emPSN) as well as being awarded positions on the emPSN Framework Agreement for the provision of Access Services and, in partnership with RM, the supply of Application Services including email, filtering, web-hosting and an education portal.
Mike Kendall, MD of emPSN said Kcom’s track record in PSN rollouts was a key factor in their choice of supplier as well as its expertise and ‘compelling’ commercial arrangements. The 7-year deal, thought to be worth in the region of £100m, replaces the embc schools network contract which expires in October. Kcom currently provides connectivity services to embc but as a subcontractor to Synetrix- Capita.
This is another example of schools leading the way in local ‘PSN’ deployments (see our recent report PSN: Foundation for change in public sector IT? for more). With the existing embc network contract coming to an end, its replacement was always likely to meet PSN standards and be badged as a PSN network. But the plan is for other local public sector bodies to use the network in the future too: Lincolnshire County Council and their partner District Councils are next in line and emPSN is also in discussions with a police authority.
This regional model – with schools, local authorities, police and sometimes healthcare organisations banding together to share PSN services - has been popular to date although it's early days in the world of true PSN. It remains to be seen whether that will continue now that the national PSN procurement frameworks are in place (see 12 PSN Connectivity suppliers chosen) and each body could procure standards-based networks independently and still create a ‘PSN’. Our feeling is that regional procurements led by either schools or the local authority will continue despite the national frameworks, which local authorities are not mandated to use.