Network Rail chooses 10 IT suppliers for new framework

Network Rail has chosen a group of major companies as suppliers to the new version of its IT Solution Delivery Framework.Atkins, Atos IT Services, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, Capita Business Services, Cognizant Worldwide, Deloitte, DXC, Fujitsu, Resonate Group and a consortium of Ernst & Young and Capgemini have been named as the providers for the framework.It is scheduled to run over the next five years and has a projected value of up to £605 million, depending on the volume of business.The publicly owned organisation, which manages the railway infrastructure for Great Britain, uses the framework for specialist IT support in its operational and corporate activities. The contract notice points to its need for support in a wide range of areas including business process management, system configuration and customisation, software development, IT infrastructure installation, provisioning and decommissioning.Network Rail’s major initiative in the field is the Digital Railway Programme, which follows Transport for London’s example in using technology to release additional capacity on the network. It involves a collection of regional digital railway schemes, and has a long term aim, beyond 2027, of digital being the norm in the command, control and signalling capabilities.