RM chosen as ICT provider for Essex BSF programme
RM has been selected by Essex County Council to provide ICT services for the County's BSF (Building Schools for the Future) programme. RM will deliver the services as part of the Skanska RM consortium, which has been appointed preferred bidder for the programme.
The Essex BSF programme is one of the largest in the country, with the first phase alone worth in the region of £150m (buildings and ICT). RM will be responsible for the design, implementation and day-to-day delivery of a sophisticated managed ICT service, creating 24-hour learning environments for pupils. The first four schools in the programme are expected to open by January 2012.
Terry Sweeney, Chief Executive of RM, said:
"RM has had a long-standing relationship with schools in Essex, so it is great news to be selected to work with them on the County's BSF programme. Essex is a very large BSF project and we're looking forward to working with the County and our partners at Skanska to make a difference for pupils in the County."
Councillor Stephen Castle, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education said:
"We are delighted to be working with Skanska RMon this exciting project. BSF will bring substantial investment to Essex, enabling us to build world class facilities that will transform education and the way it is delivered."
Councillor Derrick Louis, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Central Services said:
"Skanska RM has successfully demonstrated they can meet the very high standards we have set for our preferred bidder. Under the partnership we will create state of the art facilities that will inspire generations of learners to come."
For further information, please contact:
Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc |
08450 700300 |
Chris Blundell/Franziska Boehnke, Brunswick |
020 7404 5959 |
Tanya Barnes, Skanska UK |
01923 423905 |
Notes:
1. The RM Group is a leading provider of educational solutions that help teachers to teach and learners to learn. RM works closely with educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve education. RM is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol RM.L, ISIN GB0002870417. Further details are available at ww.rm.com/investors and through the Group's investor blog at rminvestors.wordpress.com
2. BSF (Building Schools for the Future) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. BSF will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England. 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.
3. For more information on BSF in Essex visit www.essexbsf.org
4. Skanska (www.skanska.com) is one of the world's leading project development and construction groups with expertise in construction, development of commercial and residential projects, and public-private partnerships. The Group currently has 55,000 employees in selected home markets in Europe, the US and Latin America. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Skanska's sales in 2008 totalled £11.9 billion.