As a supplier on ‘Lot 2b’ of the DALAS framework, Opencast will be able to support government departments and other UK public sector bodies with ‘digital, integration and programme application services’, delivering services in user-centred design, software delivery, DevOps engineering, platform development and DevSecOps.

Via partnerships, Opencast is also supporting work on Lot 1 to deliver Value Realisation and Design Services, Lot 2A to deliver large scale digital and development services and Lot 3 for application and integration run services.

Work on 2A includes user-centred design, integration of software cycles, Dev-Ops engineering and platform development, rapid forms creation and development and process, workflow, forms and application development. Work on Lot 3 includes managing, supporting and augmenting new or existing custom applications or enterprise applications, network-delivered applications and data, database and middleware management and integration practices, techniques and tooling.

The DALAS agreement is available to all central government departments and UK public sector bodies including local authorities, health, education and devolved administrations.

Initially the work will help HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) migrate its legacy applications to a new multi-supplier, multi-year framework in a phased approach. The aim is to improve agility, reduce risk, and increase time to market while improving supplier competition. The agreement will provide a route to market to replace existing contractual arrangements due to expire between September 2023 and January 2025.

HMRC is expected to spend up to £2 billion through DALAS over the next four years, with other government departments also expected to use the framework. DALAS replaces existing contractual arrangements due to expire between next month and January 2025.

Welcoming the news, Opencast’s chief executive Tom Lawson said: “We’re delighted to have been named as a supplier on the DALAS framework. It’s a major opportunity that recognises the quality of Opencast’s work, the value we deliver for our clients, and the collaborative nature of our approach. We’re excited to be able to continue to support HMRC and other government departments to deliver user-centred, secure and sustainable digital services that have a positive impact on society.

“This will add to the work that Opencast is already doing with government departments – at HMRC, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, Government Digital Service and others – in delivering better digital public services to millions of citizens.”

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2022/23, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £3.8 billion - supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.

CCS’s new DALAS framework provides public sector organisations with a quicker and simpler procurement process, which means suppliers on the framework can be directly awarded work on specific jobs without complex further tendering.

HMRC has promised to “deliver a step change in how HMRC delivers IT, works with IT suppliers to procure and utilise technology, and how we work more broadly as an organisation”, under the new technology sourcing programme that aims to “address HMRC’s entire IT run and change spend of £900 million/annum.”