Court IT. In the running for the legal system

EDS

Subsidiary of General Motors based in Plano, Texas. Worldwide turnover of $10.05 billion in 1994. Operations in 40 countries, with 80,000 employees. Offices in 20 European countries, with 16,000 staff. In 1994, increased European turnover by 29 per cent to $1.8 billion. Market leader in IT outsourcing.

Relevant experience

Has IT outsourcing contracts with Inland Revenue (worth £1 billion over 10 years), DVLC in Swansea and from last week the Department of Social Security. These involved transfer of around 3,000 civil servants to EDS employment. Also setting up a crime reporting information system for the Metropolitan Police to be operational by late 1996.

Other UK business

Has a broad range of public and private sector clients including the Home Office, Department of Transport, Ministry of Defence, British Aerospace, Lehman Bros, Shell, Unilever, London Transport, European Parliament, NATO and the Civil Aviation Authority.



Sema Group/Bull Information Systems

Two European IT giants. Sema's turnover for 1994 was £596 million, 38 per cent of which was in the UK where it employs 3,300 staff. Outsourcing represents 29 per cent of total turnover which grew by 174 per cent in 1994. Paris-based Groupe Bull's turnover was $5 billion, with 25 per cent of that in US. Employs 28,000 staff worldwide.

Relevant experience

Sema won a five-year contract for Department of Social Security in June and a £50 million five-year contract with the Home Office in July taking over all mainframe computing, support and development. In 1994 Bull won a £50 million, seven-year contract to develop and implement systems for the Probation Service. Also work for magistrates courts, Home Office, police and prisons. Bull's European criminal justice business provides a yearly income of £100 million plus.

Other UK business

Sema's clients include government departments for defence, education, transport, national heritage, the Foreign Office and Defence Research Agency. Bull's clients include the Ministry of Defence, 35 police forces, Inland Revenue, 150 local authorities and 70 hospitals.



Siemens Business Systems

Newly-formed SBS is part of Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems, part of the giant £35 billion Siemens Group based in Munich. Siemens expects the UK outsourcing market to grow by 20 per cent a year. Siemens Nixdorf is a leading European supplier of IT solutions with a turnover of DM11.7 billion. The company's research shows the UK has the most developed outsourcing market, with 35 per cent of the European market, followed by France and Germany.

Other UK clients

Siemens Nixdorf in the UK provides systems integration and support to users "in every sector of the British economy".



Unisys

Based in Philadelphia, it employs more than 40,000 people worldwide and operates in 100 countries. Its 1994 worldwide turnover was $7.399 billion. Unisys says it builds long-term relationships with clients to produce "innovative solutions" for businesses and government agencies, and acts as a "solutions and systems integrator".

Relevant experience

Has 25 or more outsourcing contracts in the UK commerce, banking and industry sectors and 20 years' computing experience in the US and UK criminal justice sector. This includes the Home Office Police National Computer System, and systems in 40 per cent of police forces. Also Holmes (Home Office large major enquiry system) and other systems, including an integrated criminal justice system on Merseyside, which links up to CPS and magistrates courts' systems. Unisys supplies systems to 50 per cent of magistrates' courts.

Other UK business

Major clients include the British Army, TSB, NatWest and Midland Banks, Nationwide and N&P building societies, Trafalgar House and Bass Taverns.