Security News > 2021 > January > Scotland waves £15m around to tempt low-code partner to help with social security overhaul as technical debt mounts

The Scottish government is sizing up the market for suppliers to develop on its low-code technology platform and support its social security overhaul.

Having selected low-code platform OutSystems to help modernise IT services from its executive agency Social Security Scotland, the Scottish government is now looking for a "Strategic partner" to help develop solutions on the platform.

According to a prior information notice designed to gauge the market interest, the deal could be worth £15m. The Scotland Act 2016 gave the Scottish Parliament the powers to administer a benefits system devolved from the UK government, while the Social Security Act 2018 provides for types of assistance that will be created using those powers.

According to a report from public spending watchdog Audit Scotland, Social Security Scotland has not "Fully developed longer-term planning for key areas such as finance, workforce, estates and IT which will be critical to the success of the Scottish social security system".

James Wallace, Social Security Scotland's deputy director of finance and corporate services, told the audit body that the agency would, by 1 April 2021, appoint a chief digital officer who would "Start to develop our longer term IT plans", but the organisation was still "Heavily reliant" on the separate Social Security Directorate's programme for developing its systems.

"There is currently a backlog of digital work that is outstanding for Social Security Scotland systems, with this new technical debt adding to it," the audit said.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/01/05/scotland_lowcode_partner/