CIRCULATION: NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
ringing Technology
to Post Offices
Development Update
NFSP00000240
NFSP00000240
“A/3— PC NW 06 01
17 HOV yaQ5
Issue no. 1
Date. 13.11.95
MANAGING THE
PARTNERSHIPS
This is the first issue of a new communication
intended to keep you informed about
automation development. It is being distributed
especially for senior managers and team
leaders throughout the business and the
information should be circulated within your
teams.
Explained in this edition is the interface between Post
Office Counters Ltd and the programme, now widely
known simply as BA/POCL, which will put technology in
post offices nationwide and change the way benefits are
paid. You may have noticed several communications
about the automation activity in Courier and Talking Shop,
that will continue. The overall aim of this publication is to
give you the Post Office Counters perspective on our
pal ‘ship with the Benefits Agericy and the implications
of iNuuducing technology nationwide.
THE AUTOMATION PROGRAMME
Currently there is a team of people from Benefits Agency,
Social Security Agency Northern Ireland and Post Office
Counters Ltd who are working together from a base at
Terminal House in Victoria to bring technology to post
offices and benefits payments. «
Objectives
The four joint objectives of the programme are:
« to deliver a fraud free method of paying benefits at
Post offices, that is automated, and has lower end to
end costs than the current paper based process, with
continuously reducing administrative costs year on
year.
* to extend automation to Post Office Counters Ltd other
client transactions, its products, its support processes,
to improve competitiveness, increase efficiency and
enable greater commercial opportunities for Post
Office Counters Ltd
¢ to effect a full and speedy reconciliation of benefit
payments, with accounting arrangements consistent
with recognised accountancy practices
* to provide an improved overall service to the
customers of all parties
Current state of play
Following interest shown by many organisations from the
information technology industry, three consortia remain in
the competition to provide the systems infrastructure and
services for Benefits Agency and Post Office Counters
Ltd. ‘The consortia are - Pathway (which includes ICL, De
La Rue and Girobank), Cardlink UK Ltd (led by Andersen
Consulting and Unisys) and IBM. The programme team
is led by Andrew Stott. Other key Counters
representatives are Dave Miller and Bob King. Now in
place for over a year preparing the groundwork, this
programme team will see the introduction of technology
through to implementation over the next three years.
Timescale
There is a lot of work to do but the current forecast
remains on schedule. Once the requirements that
Suppliers are being asked to meet are clear, it is the
programme team's intention to issue a formal invitation to
tender around the end of the year. Following evaluation
of the supplier proposals on a value for money basis, a
contract will be agreed with the winning supplier in spring
4996.- On this timetable we are on track to begin
implementation of the new system in the second half of
1996 with roll out taking three years to complete.
POST OFFICE COUNTERS INTERFACE
Managing the interface between our business and the
joint programme is a vital task and a special team
working to Paul Rich is being formed to bring this about.
Its key tasks are:
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