UK Government releases prior notice of plan to upgrade ICT platform

The government has released a prior information notice for the procurement of support, maintenance and development services for its electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) platform.

The e-PIMS platform currently hosts a number of live applications, which are primarily used by UK government departments, the Scottish government, and the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland and Wales and their agencies to support the delivery and monitoring of activity in key policy areas such as property and sustainability.

"In light of emerging policy developments and wider changes, including the Civil Service Reform plans, the Cabinet Office is reviewing its management information strategy. This includes establishing the technologies that are necessary to collect and analyse management information from departments across key work streams such as ICT, finance and procurement," The Online Journal of the European Union notice reads.

The government has proposed a number of options such as extending the role of the e-PIMS platform to improve capabilities in collecting and analysing management information. Alternatively, it said it would create a new platform for both the existing applications and future developments.

The notice is merely an invitation to interested parties to participate in what the government calls a "market testing exercise". The government said it also wishes to explore the feasibility of structuring the contract to allow other government departments within UK government and other agreed public bodies to use the platform.

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