The Public Sector Network (PSN) changes the approach to purchasing of Information and Communications Technology by the public sector.
Most Public Sector IT Services are presently made to measure – specified, designed and built for the specific requirements of a specific organisation at a specific point in time. Some, even many of the public sector ICT requirements are common across all public sector organisations and could be purchased as ‘ready made’ or ‘commodity’ services where the same services are available to and consumed by many different customers. These services can be designed, built, maintained, operated and developed by suppliers to meet the requirements of a broad spectrum of Public Sector customers who can then purchase them individually or as a collection. Examples in the consumer market would be home internet services, and mobile phone services.
PSN will enable public sector customers to harness changing technology to better support their delivery of service and the transformational government agenda. There are a variety of ways that this may be achieved, including through a commonality of standards, customer-centric operational model and a flexibility of approach. The PSN will be global, including Her Majesty’s Government overseas and other international UK public bodies.
The PSN will be delivered incrementally through a number of contractual vehicles delivered across a common core network. It is anticipated that the first procurement of a PSN compliant contract within National government will be the Ocean Programme managed by the FCO, whilst within local government is expected to be Hampshire County Council.
Key contact
PSN Programme Director
John Stubley
Email: psn@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
020 7276 1066