06 October 2006
Northern Ireland's finance department has begun procurement for the supply of 'Network NI' — a managed, wide-area network that ministers say is central to the modernisation of public services.
The integrated network will link departments and be available to schools, but a separate procurement exercise will be launched later to extend coverage to local authorities and health bodies.
Finance minister David Hanson said: 'Network NI will play a vital role in ensuring provision of the best frontline public services that government can provide.'
Network NI will carry voice, video and data traffic simultaneously, including low-cost internet 'Protocol telephony'. The system will be the basis for Northern Ireland's 'e-HR' — electronic human resources — an outsourced IT-based contract for personnel administration which has been won by a consortium led by Fujitsu.
The contract is intended as a trial for a similar scheme for the British civil service. Network NI will also carry electronic document transfers and accounting records. BT, Eircom and NTL have been invited to bid for the contract, which should be finalised next spring.
PFoct2006
