UK Government's Tech Revolution: From Blockchain Busting to Electric Buses and Cloud Computing

🎉 Welcome to Public Sector Focus! 🎉

Your daily dose of government glow-ups and public service pizzazz!

🚀 Here’s what’s been happening in the wonderful world of Westminster and beyond:

HMRC Enlists Blockchain Sleuths to Crack Down on Crypto-Crooks

Go-Ahead's Electric Bus Blitz: A Charged-Up Plan for Greener Commutes

VOA's £185m Cloud Leap: Out with the Old, In with the New (Tech, That Is!)

DAILY SPEND WATCH

OPPORTUNITY PICKS

• Hampshire County Council is seeking suppliers for a four-year framework contract to supply heating oil, motor fuel, and biofuel, with an estimated value between £26-45 million. The open opportunity, suitable for SMEs, will run from April 2025 to March 2029, with interested parties required to submit tenders by November 21, 2024.

• Nottingham City Council is establishing a four-year framework agreement worth £25 million for care and support services in extra care settings, starting February 2025. The council aims to appoint the top 10 providers to offer independent living services with on-site care and support, with individual call-off contracts lasting up to 9 years.

INSIGHT OF THE WEEK

SMEs and Large Businesses: Powering the UK Economy in 2024

• SMEs contribute 60% of UK employment and 52% of turnover, underlining their importance as the backbone of the economy.

• Large businesses, comprising only 0.2% of the business population, provide 40% of jobs, demonstrating their outsized impact on employment.

• The Business Population Estimates 2024 offers detailed insights into the structure and economic contributions of UK businesses of different sizes.

Department for Business & Trade, "Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2024: statistical release", published 3 October 2024.

NEWS

🕵️‍♂️HMRC Enlists Blockchain Sleuths to Crack Down on Crypto-Crooks

🔑 Key points:

• UK's tax authority partners with TRM Labs to combat crypto-enabled money laundering. This collaboration brings blockchain intelligence expertise to HMRC's efforts in tackling financial crime in the digital asset space.

• The contract, worth £288,000, runs until April 2025 and aims to enhance cryptoasset investigation capabilities. HMRC will leverage TRM Labs' analytical software and investigation services to monitor and investigate fraud and financial crime involving digital assets.

• This move reflects growing concern over digital assets being used to launder proceeds from both traditional and cybercrime activities. As criminals exploit new technologies, authorities are adapting their strategies to keep pace with evolving money laundering techniques.

• HMRC acknowledges the rapidly changing financial landscape and the need for advanced investigative tools to maintain transparency. The tax authority is proactively seeking insights into the maturing crypto-asset market to stay ahead of potential threats.

• The National Crime Agency warns of the increasing use of cryptoassets in various criminal activities, including theft, malware, and ransomware. This trend underscores the importance of HMRC's initiative to bolster its capabilities in tracking and investigating crypto-related financial crimes.

🚌Go-Ahead's Electric Bus Blitz: A Charged-Up Plan for Greener Commutes

🔑 Key points:

• Go-Ahead announces a £500 million investment in up to 1,200 zero-emission electric buses over the next three years. This significant investment marks a major step towards greener public transport and demonstrates the industry's confidence in the UK market.

• The initiative is set to create 500 manufacturing jobs and an additional 2,000 jobs across the supply chain by 2026. This boost to employment will be accompanied by the development of a dedicated manufacturing line in partnership with Northern Ireland-based Wrightbus.

• New electric buses will be deployed across various locations served by Go-Ahead, including London, Gloucestershire, Plymouth, the Isle of Wight, and East Yorkshire. In a green twist, the Department for Transport has committed to planting 10 trees for every new bus manufactured in the towns and cities where they'll operate.

• Transport Secretary Louise Haigh is taking an active role in promoting this initiative and broader decarbonization efforts in local transport. She's set to meet with industry leaders and announce plans for a new expert panel on UK bus manufacturing, aiming to align local authorities' transport ambitions with emerging technologies.

• The government is positioning this investment as part of its broader economic growth strategy and commitment to decarbonizing the transport sector. As Matt Carney, CEO of Go-Ahead Bus, puts it, this partnership will "accelerate the transition to zero-emission fleet across the UK" while supporting jobs and growing the country's supply chain.

💻VOA's £185m Cloud Leap: Out with the Old, In with the New (Tech, That Is!)

🔑 Key points:

• The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has awarded a £185.5 million contract to IT services firm Cognizant to modernize its legacy systems. This three-year deal aims to tackle applications that are nearly 30 years old, highlighting the urgent need for technological rejuvenation in the agency.

• The modernization program will initially focus on IT systems supporting valuations for 27 million residential properties in England and Wales. The agency will then proceed to update technology underpinning business property rates for 2.1 million commercial premises, showcasing a phased approach to this massive undertaking.

• Cloud applications will replace heritage systems as part of a transformation initiative that kicked off around the start of the current fiscal year. This shift to cloud-based solutions demonstrates the VOA's commitment to staying current with technological advancements and improving operational efficiency.

• The contract was awarded through the Technology Services 3 framework, specifically from the 'Major Services Transformation Programmes' lot. This strategic procurement approach allows the VOA to tap into a pool of 39 suppliers for specialized support, ensuring flexibility and expertise throughout the modernization journey.

• The VOA, an executive agency of HMRC with 3,800 civil servants, plays a crucial role in valuing properties for tax purposes and advising on public sector property matters. This significant investment in modernization underscores the importance of the VOA's functions and the government's recognition of the need for up-to-date systems to support critical valuation services.

TECHNOLOGY

HMRC's Property Valuation Arm Invests in Historical Aerial Imagery for Tax Assessment

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA), responsible for property valuation for tax purposes in the UK, has signed an 18-month contract worth £23,750 with Getmapping, a specialist data firm. The deal provides the VOA with access to a web-mapping service featuring historical aerial photographs of Great Britain. This tool will support the agency's work in valuing properties and setting tax rates, particularly for council tax and business rates. The service allows unlimited internal use across the VOA and includes printing rights for the imagery.

TIP OF THE DAY

Mastering Project Prioritization

Picture yourself at the helm of a community initiative aimed at improving local services. With a multitude of projects competing for your focus, how do you determine which ones deserve priority?

Establish Clear Criteria:

• Develop a clear set of criteria for project selection.

• Align criteria with organizational goals and community needs.

• Consider factors such as:

  • Impact

  • Feasibility

  • Cost-effectiveness

  Example: Prioritize projects that enhance youth engagement and have measurable outcomes.

Use a Scoring System:

• Implement a scoring system to evaluate potential projects objectively.

• Treat it like a game where projects earn points based on established criteria.

• This approach enables data-driven decisions, ensuring the most beneficial initiatives are prioritized.

Review and Adjust Regularly:

• Periodically reassess project priorities.

• Use new data, stakeholder feedback, and changes in the political landscape for adjustments.

• Maintain flexibility to adapt to evolving community needs and ensure relevance