The Environment Agency has agreed on a new contract with Fujitsu Services to manage its flood warning system.
They have signed their third contract under a framework agreement that was set up in 2016, this one to run until no later than the end of December 2025 and taking the total value to £19.5 million.
The award notice states: “The Environment Agency has now awarded three contracts under the framework agreement. All contracts were/are based on the original framework agreement and the remaining live contract is set to expire on 2nd September 2025.
“The Environment Agency will shortly conclude a procurement for the successor arrangements for the Future Flood Warnings System framework agreement.”
Many alerts
The significance of the flood warning system has been apparent over the past week as, according to a BBC report, it has raised hundreds of warnings in response to Storm Henk. But there have also been questions over the accuracy of some alerts, as reported by The Guardian.
The system provides for a range of users to select how they wish to receive information and can interact with other systems to trigger alternative warning services.
The deal could add more fuel to the controversy over Fujitsu Services winning business with the public sector, after the Horizon IT system delivered to the Post Office has been blamed for leading to wrongful convictions of sub-postmasters for fraud. This has taken on a higher profile over the past few days with the broadcast of a TV drama on the affair.
