By Simon Quicke

04 July 2008

The Department for Work And Pensions has announced details of the desktops support services it is looking to kick in from 2010.

The idea of the next contract for desktop services will sound all too familiar with the DWP looking to use competition for the deal to help drive innovation and bring down IT costs.

In a statement, the Department's Chief Information Officer Joe Harley said that it had the tax payer and its customers in mind in its attempts to cut the best deal for the department.

"We are reviewing our future plans for our major IT service contracts as our principal existing contracts expire during 2010-11. We are committed to ensuring that future IT services continue to be provided in a way which delivers the best service to the citizen and maximum value for the taxpayer,” he said.

The channel has had a potted history with public sector contracts finding it a frustrating experience breaking into government and NHS type business.

In reference to working in the NHS Terry Espiner, regional sales manager, healthcare at Cisco,  said that it did take time to crack the public sector but those resellers to put the long-term effort in often managed to reap the rewards.