The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has awarded a five-year £11.5m web management contract to LogicaCMG.
The deal will see LogicaCMG working with the FCO to replace its current web platform and improve the organisation’s web presence.
The FCO web presence is a first point of contact for British travellers seeking guidance before going overseas, as well as an international diplomacy tool and resource for visitors and investors in the UK .
It handles up to 24 million visitors per year, and at peak demand times, such as around the Asian tsunami disaster in 2004, site traffic can increase five-fold, said the FCO.
Peter Ricketts, FCO permanent under secretary, said, “The partnership between the FCO and LogicaCMG will ensure the right IT system and high-quality service are in place to make the FCO more accessible and improve our service delivery over the next decade.”
The contract will see LogicaCMG enable the roll out of the new site to over 200 embassies, consulates, and high commissions across the globe. In addition, LogicaCMG will provide consultancy to increase visitor up-take and usability, to minimise security risks to the site, and to ensure that the website can meet high demand peaks.
Delivery subcontractors include XMLondon for web design, Verizon for hosting support, and Mediasurface for web content management.
The new global web platform is expected to go live in 2008.
Related article: Foreign Office ERP contract causes problems
Comment on this article: computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk
