Newham BSF - Looks like I may become an RM Employee!

[Zoom7000]

Update: Laing O'Rourke confirmed as preferred bidder for £200m BSF scheme

(27 March 2008 16:23)

 

Laing O’Rourke has beaten Skanska this week in the race to become preferred bidder on Newham Council’s £200m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme in London.

 

Newham Learning Partnership (Laing O'Rourke Portfoilio Projects Ltd) and Skanska were both shortlisted in January this year on Newham's BSF scheme which will see four schools completely rebuilt and another nine remodelled and refurbished.

 

Laing O'Rourke will deliver the new build element of the scheme, with local firm Jerram Falkus carrying out the refurbishment work, estimated at around £50m in the first phase. Sources say Laing O'Rourke's decision to use a local builder, with a track record in school building work, swung the deal in its favour.

 

The newly built schools will be Little Ilford, Lister, Rokeby and Stratford schools, while Brampton Manor, Eastlea, Forest Gate, Langdon, Plashet, Royal Docks, St Angela's, St Bonaventure's and Sarah Bonnell schools will all be modernised to meet BSF standards.

 

Source - Contract Journal

 

If I remember correctly from the very brief meeting we had, Skanska chose Civica, and Laing O'Rourke (Newham Learning Partnership) chose RM, so it looks like the end of Vanilla Windows Server networks in Newham! Connect 4, 5 and 6, here we come! What joy! Not!

 

Interesting as well that I found this out from the media, and as yet, no one from management, or the borough have told us what the current situation is!

[russdev]

Might not get connect even if RM as depends on what lea have asked for.

 

Russ

[Zoom7000]

Update:

 

RM chosen as ICT supplier for Newham BSF ICT project

11 Apr 2008

 

RM has been selected by the London Borough of Newham to provide ICT services to the Borough's BSF (Building Schools for the Future) programme. RM will deliver the services as part of the Newham Learning Partnership (NLP), a Laing O'Rourke-led consortium in which RM will hold a 15% stake and which has been appointed selected bidder for the programme. Newham's BSF programme covers 15 schools and a sixth form centre, serving over 19,000 pupils.

 

The project, which is estimated to be worth approximately £53m to RM over eleven years, will provide a sophisticated and flexible managed ICT service to Newham's secondary schools. This will include in-school systems and software infrastructure, a central data centre, and integration with the London Grid for Learning's managed learning environment. RM will also be part of Newham's LEP (Local Education Partnership), a public-private vehicle tasked with ensuring Newham's secondary school estate meets the challenges of the 21st Century to the benefit of all of Newham's learners.

 

Commenting on the contract, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, said:

 

'Newham has a bold vision for education and we're delighted to be part of it. We have a long and successful track record providing innovative ICT for learners and teachers in the Borough, most recently through the Achieving Through Innovation programme which has contributed to a real improvement in standards in primary schools. We're looking forward to working with education managers in the Borough and with Laing O'Rourke, our consortium partners, to help implement Newham's Strategy for Change.

 

'The momentum of the BSF programme continues. This is the third project we've won since the beginning of the calendar year - ahead of our target and a clear indication that the quality of our ICT proposition is widely recognised.'

 

Councillor Quintin Peppiatt, Newham Council's Cabinet member for Children and Young People, said:

 

'I am delighted that we have chosen a first class partner in NLP to work with us to deliver new secondary school facilities across the borough. We are excited that within a year we will start to see new school buildings that will allow our secondary schools to deliver a transformed curriculum for the young people of Newham.'

 

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of PfS, the government agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme nationwide, said:

 

'We congratulate Newham on reaching this important milestone on their journey to transform education for school children and communities in the area. The new and improved buildings, facilities and technology will have an enormous impact on the life chances of every child in Newham for decades to come, and I look forward to charting the progress of this exciting scheme.'

 

Notes:

 

1. Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, colleges and universities, local government and central government education departments and agencies. RM works closely with educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve teaching and learning. RM is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol RM.L, ISIN GB0002870417.

2. BSF (Building Schools for the Future) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. It aims to rebuild or renew every one of England's 3,500 state secondary schools during the lifetime of the programme. A key part of the initiative is to ensure that local authorities develop a sustainable, area-wide ICT strategy for schools in line with the Government's personalised learning agenda: 10% of the funding is ring-fenced for ICT.

 

For Further information contact:

 

Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings

RM plc

08450 700300

 

Mark Antelme

Brunswick

020 7404 5959

 

More News and Confirmation:

BSF schools fit for the future - Newham

RM Awarded $105m London Schools IT Contract - Yahoo! News UK

RM to provide ICT services for Newham BSF programme - Computer Business Review

[missymi]

If I remember correctly from the very brief meeting we had, Skanska chose Civica, and Laing O'Rourke (Newham Learning Partnership) chose RM, so it looks like the end of Vanilla Windows Server networks in Newham! Connect 4, 5 and 6, here we come! What joy! Not!

 

Interesting as well that I found this out from the media, and as yet, no one from management, or the borough have told us what the current situation is!

 

Hi

We are in exactly the same position, no information from management, found out via media.

Only new news is they have a series of meetings for SLT members and Chairs of Governors

These meetings take place in the week of 12 May .

[Zoom7000]

Despite all of the above links I have posted seemingly confirming the appointment of RM as the preferred bidder for Newham and both companies confirming it on their websites and numerous visits from RM and Newham BSF people to see our SLT and RM performing a health check on our network ready for when they finally take over and confirmation from RM that they will be taking over Internet provision from Synetrix by the end of the year, we are still being told the contracts have not yet been finalised and for this reason still don't have any official information as to exactly what will happen.

[webman]

so it looks like the end of Vanilla Windows Server networks in Newham! Connect 4, 5 and 6, here we come! What joy! Not!

 

Er, what's wrong with CC4?

[localzuk]

Er, what's wrong with CC4?

 

And so opens the floodgates to another argument about which is better...

[Grommit]

Er, what's wrong with CC4?

 

It kills yiour Brain cells and devalues your skill set.. because the real world does not use CC4

[webman]

It kills yiour Brain cells and devalues your skill set.. because the real world does not use CC4

 

Have you used CC4 and know this first hand? Have you conducted independent tests on a cross-section of people running CC4 and compared against people running non-CC4 networks? If not then I take your comment as hearsay.

 

Maybe not, but schools use CC4. If I'm not mistaken, we work in schools.

[localzuk]

@Grommit & Webman - we've been over this argument before on the site, some like using vanilla 2k3 systems, some prefer cc3/4 systems. We don't need to go over it again.

[Zoom7000]

Have you used CC4 and know this first hand? Have you conducted independent tests on a cross-section of people running CC4 and compared against people running non-CC4 networks? If not then I take your comment as hearsay.

 

Maybe not, but schools use CC4. If I'm not mistaken, we work in schools.

 

Erm... If I'm not mistaken I work in a school and we certainly don't use CC3/4. Have you conducted independent research to show that people who work in schools use CC3/4 etc?

 

The pure fact of the matter is that CC3/4 does limit your skills set to an extent because you are buying a program that essentially hides all the complexities away from you to do most tasks, some of which are very useful to know.

 

If I had a problem with my network, I'm sure I'll find much more help on most Internet sites and forums, the vast majority of which don't even know who RM are, let alone CC3.

 

I have not seen any job application as of yet (including jobs in schools) that require knowledge in RM applications. The essentials are always Windows XP/2003, networking etc.

[torledo]

as russ has said, it's not a given that CC3/4 will be rolled out across the borough.

[webman]

@Grommit: I replied here to prevent going off-topic: Ultimate debate: CC3/4 vs Rest of the World - EduGeek.net Forums

[Oops_my_bad]

as russ has said, it's not a given that CC3/4 will be rolled out across the borough.

 

Bearing in mind that what was it.. £50 million being wasted by going to RM over 11 years, I would bloody well hope that CC4 was included in that!

[Zoom7000]

Bearing in mind that what was it.. £50 million being wasted by going to RM over 11 years, I would bloody well hope that CC4 was included in that!

 

lol, good point! Either way it's a lot of money wasted and I'd rather they gave us a damn pay rise!

[torledo]

Bearing in mind that what was it.. £50 million being wasted by going to RM over 11 years, I would bloody well hope that CC4 was included in that!

 

why would you assume that cc4 was wot won it. If RM or whoever won the contract were responsible for mgmt of each and every desktop in the borough what difference does it make what tools or apps are used to accompish this....?? from both the schools and the managed service providers point of view...they have the professionals in the org who know how to use vanilla to a very high level and no doubt there are schools who have are highly skilled in both vanilla and CC3/4...why would RM feel need to use cc4 exclusively or feel the need to push cc4 in negotiations. IT makes no sense, it's a not a real distinguisher.

 

surely it was the fact RM had the experience, industry knowledge, and were of sufficient size to win the contract that were the real distinguishing factors. Not that CC4 was this carrot newham couldn't resist....i've spoken briefly with an rm bsf bod in the past, and when i mentioned the issue of cc3/4 she said it was up to the authorities and individual schools as to whether cc3/4 was adopted. Don't know how the negotiations went, but no doubt cc3/4 licenses are there for the schoos to use - but surely it's not going to be mandated.

[Oops_my_bad]

why would you assume that cc4 was wot won it. If RM or whoever won the contract were responsible for mgmt of each and every desktop in the borough what difference does it make what tools or apps are used to accompish this....?? from both the schools and the managed service providers point of view...they have the professionals in the org who know how to use vanilla to a very high level and no doubt there are schools who have are highly skilled in both vanilla and CC3/4...why would RM feel need to use cc4 exclusively or feel the need to push cc4 in negotiations. IT makes no sense, it's a not a real distinguisher.

 

surely it was the fact RM had the experience, industry knowledge, and were of sufficient size to win the contract that were the real distinguishing factors. Not that CC4 was this carrot newham couldn't resist....i've spoken briefly with an rm bsf bod in the past, and when i mentioned the issue of cc3/4 she said it was up to the authorities and individual schools as to whether cc3/4 was adopted. Don't know how the negotiations went, but no doubt cc3/4 licenses are there for the schoos to use - but surely it's not going to be mandated.

 

You misunderstand - I doubt BSF contracts are gained/lost purely on what network management system the winning ICT company would use Im just saying for that amount of money RM are getting, I would hope CC4 or whatever would be included in that. If there is not a trace of RM branding in sight, then just where else is this money going? Damn expensive internet connection if you ask me

Edited May 30, 2008 by Oops_my_bad

[Zoom7000]

i've spoken briefly with an rm bsf bod in the past, and when i mentioned the issue of cc3/4 she said it was up to the authorities and individual schools as to whether cc3/4 was adopted.

 

This is Newham we're talking about. The folks doing all the dodgy BSF dealings are an LA based group called ITASS who do our SIMS support. The SLT's swear by ITASS because they have "@newham.gov.uk" at the end of their email addresses. The primary schools swear by them because no one else will do their support. Almost all the primaries use CC3, because ITASS recommend they have it in as they don't have full time techies at the primaries. For an IT Advisory and Support Service, they do like to make a lot of money wherever they can. Of course this is because they buy the RM kit and then stick their own administrative charges on top. I know this because when I first started, I was ordering software from them and they were just ordering from Ramesys and sticking a few quid on top. So, I went to Ramesys direct!

 

However, almost ever secondary school technician will tell you that ITASS couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. We wanted to upgrade our dying NT4 admin server and the SLT insisted we consult ITASS as they are the experts, the answer was... "Upgrading to Server 2003? Hmmm... I dunno about that, there is certainly likely to be issues! We think you should hold off..." and this was just 2 years ago! Trust me, we'll be on CC3/4 if it's available as an option!

 

Sums the BSF up pretty much in a nutshell for me!