Reply to: Public sector cutbacks: Which IT contracts are at risk?

[DodgyAgent]

I was going to add there: "Ban agencies and hire direct only" but I felt sorry for your kind.

Shortly after that I got email from agency trying to sell services

It was one of my lot.

Dont worry the 20 Indian developers will be arriving 1st thing Monday morning. Keep an eye out for a Reliant Robin Van.

[swamp]

Frankly for the amounts spent on such projects this all should be done by internal teams who may use external contractors for some relevant tasks and external vendors supplying base software blocks (say database) or connectivity etc.

I work on one of these "internal teams" you describe. But everything is now being outsourced; things are moving in the opposite direction! Of course it will cost the client a fortune. Rumour has it the outsourcer will take on us contractors to help with the handover... kerching!

I should note that Bob is not involved. Bob can't keep secrets

[AtW]

I dont often say this about AtW but

I was going to add there: "Ban agencies and hire direct only" but I felt sorry for your kind.

Shortly after that I got email from agency trying to sell services

[DodgyAgent]

It won't go away, some processes might stay back in the last century but then again it's rather than pay ridiculous amount of money for the system that does not work.

Set simpler goals - build some foundation which can be improved over many years by in-house teams, simpler requirements but go live quickly. And if you don't go live quickly and if it does not work well then people don't get paid, get blacklisted and never get another Govt funded job again. If you don't like such rules - don't bid.

Frankly for the amounts spent on such projects this all should be done by internal teams who may use external contractors for some relevant tasks and external vendors supplying base software blocks (say database) or connectivity etc.

I dont often say this about AtW but

[AtW]

What happened to your "I will do the NHS system for 10 million" pitch?

I've reviewed all the costs involved and came to conclusion that I was materially wrong in my initial estimation.

I'd bid for £9 mln

[Churchill]

What happened to your "I will do the NHS system for 10 million" pitch?

Wasn't that Threaded?

[minestrone]

10 years ban on taking such jobs (that in any way get Govt funding), if ban is violated then put to prison for the remainder of 10 years.

Sorted.

What happened to your "I will do the NHS system for 10 million" pitch?

[AtW]

But what senior civil servant or minister would want to become a director of a "local firm" when they left their official job?

10 years ban on taking such jobs (that in any way get Govt funding), if ban is violated then put to prison for the remainder of 10 years.

Sorted.

[Doggy Styles]

Interesting article this, and bound to bring the sweats to a few people's brows.

I do fear for my ex-colleagues within the NPfIT programmes.

Although as most of those were dumped when Tech Mahindra was wheeled in, I'm not too broken-hearted...

I worked in NPfIT on and off for a year and a half - the CUI project. That's already delivered so there's not much left to cut.

There were some other NPfIT projects going on in the area but Bob had his fingers in those pies. At least one went tits up.

[OwlHoot]

.. Such projects should be allocated to local firms - they should know that if they succeed then they will be on the real money, but if they fail then they are ***** and will never get to bid for Govt projects.

But what senior civil servant or minister would want to become a director of a "local firm" when they left their official job?

[AtW]

Oh wait, it doesn't

It won't go away, some processes might stay back in the last century but then again it's rather than pay ridiculous amount of money for the system that does not work.

Set simpler goals - build some foundation which can be improved over many years by in-house teams, simpler requirements but go live quickly. And if you don't go live quickly and if it does not work well then people don't get paid, get blacklisted and never get another Govt funded job again. If you don't like such rules - don't bid.

Frankly for the amounts spent on such projects this all should be done by internal teams who may use external contractors for some relevant tasks and external vendors supplying base software blocks (say database) or connectivity etc.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

Once unnecessary legislation is removed, ie: ID cards, or tax credits tulip (just tax less people ffs), then the need (for the State) in many of such projects will disappear.

and then the State will wither away .....

Oh wait, it doesn't

[AtW]

What about those projects that are needed?

Simplification of legislation should help, but generally speaking if I was in charge I'd cancel pretty much all IT projects to be sure: the State can't afford this stuff, unless it totally saves loads of money and can be implemented in 6-9-12 months it shouldn't go ahead.

I'd also change model how such contracts are awarded - this is IT ffs, a small bunch of clever people working in a team should achieve results, just by getting thousands of different people involved project is becoming way too complex.

Such projects should be allocated to local firms - they should know that if they succeed then they will be on the real money, but if they fail then they are ***** and will never get to bid for Govt projects.

[Churchill]

Once unnecessary legislation is removed, ie: ID cards, or tax credits tulip (just tax less people ffs), then the need (for the State) in many of such projects will disappear.

What about those projects that are needed?

[AtW]

Once unnecessary legislation is removed, ie: ID cards, or tax credits tulip (just tax less people ffs), then the need (for the State) in many of such projects will disappear.