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The Post Office has issued a procurement notice seeking a replacement supplier to oversee and develop the Horizon services over the coming years.
The total estimated value is a touch below £500m and covers two Lots: Replacement Service Provider (Walk In & Take Over – as it is known – “from the incumbent rapidly” ….and the transition to cloud/transform operations) and EPOS software provision. The former would run from June 2026, when the new supplier would take over from Fujitsu (which has a £40m extension to 2026), to 2031 with a possible extension to 2033. With regards to the latter, the Post Office says the EPOS Supplier “must be capable of delivering a modern, scalable, and future-ready solution for a term of 12 years”.
Horizon is still used by the Post Office to process all transactions with customers. It includes numerous legacy systems and assets, and it goes without saying that “Horizon” has become something of a toxic word. However, to get the services into a modern state will require more money to be sunk into it – and from next year, with new suppliers coming into the frame. Who might be brave enough to step into the breach is not yet known. It could, however, prove to be a positive opportunity for a fresh set of suppliers to transform Horizon into a fit for purpose, modern set of services to support the Post Office and those delivering front line services for many years to come.
This investment is essential for the Post Office to be able to move forward. However, half a billion pounds will be perceived by the general public to be a vast sum of money, particularly when so many subpostmasters have been so poorly treated for so long.
Posted by: Kate Hanaghan at 10:00