The deal builds on the existing contract between the DWP and BT Global Services, which has seen the networked IT services company help transform the department’s voice and data networks by installing an IP (Internet Protocol) network and telephony solution, which regularly handles in excess of two million calls a day and at peak times has managed three million.
The contract extension, which closely fits with the Government’s Public Sector Network (PSN) programme, will see BT continue to provide converged IP local and wide-area networks, IP telephony and a range of conferencing services including video conferencing to a broad range of units, including Jobcentre Plus, the Pensions, Disability and Carers Service, Northern Ireland Social Security Agency and the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. In addition to providing contact centre technologies that have delivered considerable savings to units, such as Jobcentre Plus, BT has already delivered 118,000 IP telephony ports, 203,000 local area network connections, and 1,140 wide area network circuits across 1,140 DWP locations.
BT Global Services will now continue to build and maintain the DWP’s contact centre infrastructure, one of the largest in the world. BT has already rolled out nearly 22,000 seats for the department’s virtual contact centre, which at its peak is already handling in excess of 400,000 calls a day. In 2010 BT will take the number of contact centre seats close to 30,000.
Sir Leigh Lewis, Permanent Secretary for the DWP, said: “Our relationship with BT has already played a major role in modernising the Department’s operations, enabling us to become even more customer focused and meet our customers’ ever more complex communications needs. The extension of our contract with BT will ensure that we are able to further improve our service to our customers, reduce costs and move closer to our objective of meeting Public Sector Network programme requirements.
Ian Livingston, Chief Executive Officer of BT, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract extension with the Department for Work and Pensions. In the current economic climate, it’s vital that UK citizens receive access to the best help and advice on jobs and benefits. Our award winning contact centre solutions are helping the DWP provide this and we are delivering networked IT services for citizens that will make a positive difference to their lives.”
BT is working with the DWP to ensure that the network integrated communications and network services programme closely meets the UK government’s Public Sector Network (PSN) vision. The PSN programme aims to create the effect of a single network infrastructure across Her Majesty’s Government, reducing costs and introducing utility-like network-orientated computing services.