dataplex has welcomed Tory plans.
15th March 2010

dataplex has welcomed Tory plans to open up government IT contracts to small and medium-sized companies.

Richard Sparrow, managing director of dataplex, based in David Cameron’s Witney constituency, was speaking after the Conservative party announced its technology manifesto.  

The Tories claim that just nine IT companies receive 60 per cent of public sector IT spending and have pledged to create a level playing field in the government IT procurement process.  

David Cameron wants to carve up huge government IT contracts into smaller components that smaller businesses can bid for.  The Tories believe this will unlock government business to small and medium-sized enterprise.

Sparrow, said:

“The commitments in this manifesto are to be welcomed because they’re actually common sense.  Government tenders are worth many millions, if not hundreds of millions of pounds.  At present, much of this business goes to the larger IT vendors and resellers.”

“These big companies effectively act as a closed market, preventing smaller companies from participating directly in the bidding process.  Small and medium IT companies are forced to be subcontractors who pay fees to favoured larger businesses.  Effectively, this fee increases the price the government pays." 

“The Office of Government Commerce is funded by charging a levy on these contracts, so it is paid for by the companies it selects to be framework partners.  It is a system designed to ease government procurement but an unintentional result is that it excludes small and medium sized companies from competing effectively for business." 

“The OGC has a stated aim to increase the amount of business placed with smaller companies but I see little sign of it delivering.”

dataplex is the UK’s leading independent information and communications technology company and employs 50 people.   The company works within business, industry and the public sector, including the NHS.

For more information and interviews, please contact:

Richard Sparrow Managing Director 07763 773 585

Charles Barratt, Business development and marketing director 07900 900 976