Leak exposes how Fujitsu encourages personnel to method UK federal government clients throughout its self-imposed bidding time out, in addition to information of a multimillion-pound task to secure its credibility
By
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Karl Flinders, Chief press reporter and senior editor EMEA
Released: 03 Apr 2024 9:45
A Fujitsu leakage has actually exposed personnel were provided a circulation diagram advising them how to bid for federal government agreements throughout the IT provider’s self-imposed restriction on bidding, which a senior UK executive views as no greater than “an additional entrance” for it.
Internal interactions seen by Computer Weekly likewise expose Fujitsu has actually invested ₤ 27m on a task referred to as Holly, developed to assist the provider through the existing Post Office Horizon scandal, with the contracting of public relations, service principles and law office.
Personnel at the UK arm of the Japanese IT huge were revealed directions on how to bid for federal government agreements throughout the duration it assured to stop briefly making them. This time out was as a “voluntary” concession, following its public shaming as the provider of the software application and assistance for the Post Office’s questionable Horizon system.
In a circulation diagram sent out to personnel, guidelines encourage that if a public sector body is not an existing consumer, rather than pull out of the bidding, they can look to see if they have a distinct selling point. Stopping working that, personnel are informed to establish whether there is capacity for a stopped working procurement if they take out, and if so, they must “intensify to Fujitsu’s head of public sector to raise with the Crown Representative”.
Computer system Weekly has actually likewise seen a personnel online forum response about the restriction on bidding. In reaction to a concern in the online forum, Dave Riley, head of public sector at Fujitsu UK, informed a worker it is not a straight-out restriction, however another “entrance”, which Fujitsu currently has numerous countless pounds worth of stockpile of agreements to be provided.
“I have actually detailed our existing thinking, however I do require to be clear that we have more than ₤ 650m of stockpile to be provided, so we require to keep concentrated on that,” he composed. “Also, it is not a blanket restriction on bidding, however is an additional entrance check we require to go through.”
Fujitsu stated it does not want to talk about Computer Weekly’s concerns, however restated that it “continues to work extremely carefully with the Cabinet Office to guarantee that the [bidding pause] standards that we have actually willingly put in location are being followed properly”.
Fujitsu needed to respond rapidly following the broadcast of ITV’s drama about the Post Office scandal, Mr Bates vs the Post Officewith the federal government agreement bidding time out part of its reaction. It is likewise investing greatly in effort to restore its UK track record, and contracting public relations,