One of the fastest growing IT services companies in Western Europe, Version 1, in partnership with strategic partner Neueda, has been awarded a three-year contract by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland to support the Department’s ongoing programme of Digital Transformation.

Aimed at moving 1.6 million transactions online annually, DAERA has engaged digital solutions provider Neueda to provide application development, technical delivery support, testing and Geographic Information System (GIS) services. Neueda is the lead organisation delivering the contract with Version 1 selected as a strategic delivery partner, bringing to the engagement specialist digital IT skills across development, business analysis, project management, and security.

Conor McColgan, Head of UK Public Sector at Version 1, commented on the news of the partnership:

“We are delighted to announce Version 1 has been awarded this contract in partnership with Neueda to support the delivery of DAERA’s ongoing Digital Transformation programme. This achievement not only reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in Digital Government excellence, but also our commitment to supporting Northern Ireland Government. Winning this contract further builds upon our strong Agriculture focus in Version 1; with many years’ experience delivering innovative solutions with DAFM (The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) in Ireland, and the Rural Payments Agency in England. We are extremely proud to welcome DAERA as a valued Version 1 customer. We look forward to working closely with Neueda to bring our digital IT skills and experiences to DAERA over the next three years and beyond.”

The initial contract is worth £21m, with significant additional provision planned over the contract lifetime. The contract is for a three-year period, with three optional extension periods of two years each.

Version 1 has invested heavily in developing its Northern Ireland Headquarters since 2012 on the back of winning substantial new business across Northern Ireland with customers such as Invest NI, Northern Ireland Courts & Tribunals Service, Land and Property Services, and Almac. Employing almost 100 employees from its Belfast HQ, Version 1 technical consultants will be based on site at various DAERA across Northern Ireland.

About Version 1

Version 1 proves that IT can make a real difference to our customers’ businesses. We are trusted by global brands to deliver IT services and solutions which drive customer success. Our 1000 strong team works closely with our technology partners to provide independent advice that helps our customers navigate the rapidly changing world of IT. Our greatest strength is balance in our efforts to achieve Customer Success, Empowered People and a Strong Organisation, underpinned by commitment to our values. We believe this is what makes Version 1 different and more importantly, our customers agree.