The Home Office has signed PA Consulting to provide cyber security services in the development of the Emergency Services Network (ESN).
They have agreed on a two-year contract, with an option to run for another one, valued at £6 million to £7 million called off from the Digital Marketplace for the company to provide the relevant services.
According to the contract award notice it will include cyber security architecture, design, assurance, engineering, configuration, penetration testing and CHECK IT health checks.
It marks a significant stage in the development of the PSN under the Home Office’s Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme, which is now a long way behind schedule with no firm date on when the network – which will replace Airwave in supporting voice and data communications between emergency services – will go live.
In recent months the programme has been the subject of critical reports from the National Audit Office and Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
Other key contracts have been agreed with EE for the mobile network on which the ESN will be based, APD communications for relevant software upgrades and the Handsfree Group and TST Group for vehicle devices.
