Student Loans Company Appoints Atos as final Strategic Partner

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has announced the appointment of Atos as its fourth and final Strategic Partner for Customer Software Delivery which will include the development, maintenance, and support of SLC customer and user facing systems.

SLC’s Strategic Partnership Programme involves working with a small number of skilled partners to modernise, deliver and support its technology estate as part of a technical transformation programme. Following a highly competitive procurement exercise, Atos completes the Strategic Partner appointments under the programme, alongside Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Capgemini.

Atos was awarded the first contract in September 2020 to support SLC’s Customer Enablement Services – including the development of its customer interface and the associated technology infrastructure. In this fourth and final contract, Atos will provide a broad range of outcome-based services and capabilities which will be key to delivering the over-arching expertise, services, capabilities, and capacity required by SLC’s Technology strategy. This includes Modern Application Development and Maintenance (ADM) and Support Services, including on-premises and Cloud based, bespoke, Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) products, which will develop the technical capabilities and deliver on critical policy.

Stephen Campbell, Chief Technology Officer at SLC said: “I am pleased to confirm that our Strategic Partner Procurement Programme has now concluded with the appointment of Atos as the final Strategic Partner for Customer Software Delivery (CSD2).

“This appointment will ensure the continuity of key IT service provision, enable the transition to new and emerging technologies, and support the delivery of key policy objectives going forward, such as the Government’s Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).”

Clay Van Doren, Atos CEO for Northern Europe, APAC and Central Europe, said: “This agreement allows SLC and Atos to deliver a comprehensive programme of IT estate modernisation and transformation, elevating SLC’s services offering thereby positioning it for continued success.”

Notes

The Student Loans Company:

• administers student finance on behalf of the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
• has 8.5 million customers and manages a loan book of £201.6 billion
• processes almost 2 million applications for student finance every year
• paid out £9.2 billion in loans and grants to new and existing students, as well as £12.6 billion
• tuition fees to higher and further education providers in the last year employs over 3,000 staff across sites in Glasgow, Darlington and Llandudno Junction

About SLC’s Strategic Partnership Programme:

• This appointment forms part of SLC’s Strategic Partner Procurement Programme that aims to secure a balanced portfolio of technology partners, to support delivery of SLC’s technology strategy on commercial terms that ensure enhanced value for public money. This contract was procured in strict accordance with public sector procurement regulations through the Crown Commercial Services Technical Services 3 framework.
• SLC has previously announced three Strategic Partners. In September 2021, Atos was awarded a contract to support the development of SLC’s Customer Enablement Services and in March 2021, Capgemini were appointed to support Platform Delivery and Technology Services. In April 2022, Tata Consultancy Services confirmed it will deliver a range of technical services, capabilities, and enhancements as it transforms SLC’s digital services.