ACTUS is short-listed for Ministry of Defence DII contract

IBM, BAE SYSTEMS and Steria team joined by Computacenter, NTL and Echelon to form ACTUS for next phase of procurement process

The joint bid team comprising IBM, BAE SYSTEMS and Steria confirm that they have been short-listed by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the next phase of a procurement process for the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) project. The three members of the core team are joined by Computacenter, NTL and Echelon. The bid team will be known as ACTUS.

The DII project encompasses the MoD's entire information infrastructure stretching from all MoD fixed sites in the UK and abroad to deployed headquarters and military platforms around the world

The next phase of the bid process runs until 17 September 2003 during which time ACTUS will enter into closer dialogue with the MoD through a programme of workshops arranged for the benefit of the short-listed bidders.

The addition of Computacenter, NTL and Echelon addresses the MoD requirement for an approach that assures continuity of supply throughout the life of the contract and provides a foundation for close integration between selected bidder, MoD, and the MoD's other suppliers of adjacent services. In addition, it brings expertise and experience to the core team specifically related to the MoD and the DII project.

Computacenter contributes experience in rapid and reliable supply and deployment of user devices; NTL contributes its experience of cabling and local area network management in the MoD; and, Echelon contributes deep experience of dealing with security issues in the MoD.

ACTUS has also been established, as required, in a form that will allow the expansion of capabilities, through competition post contract award.