A competitive dialogue tender for the contract was published on Friday, seeking a provider for services to the council and around 50 other public sector organisations.

The council itself has estimated that the new contract could save it more than £6 million a year from 2016.

Sue Bruce, chief executive at said: “This is a significant step forward in ensuring that this council is at the forefront of technological innovation in local government. We hope there will be considerable interest in the contract.”

The wide-ranging contract will include the provision of computer devices, networks, platforms, a data centre, service design and transition, a service desk, third party contract management, applications and security.

It will also cover the management of contracts with sub-contractors, and the the council has previously outlined an aspiration to have at least a quarter of its ICT services delivered by small or medium-sized businesses to support the local economy.

The massive contract would cover 21 of Scotland’s 30 councils, as well as all 14 of its health boards, the Scottish Police Authority, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage, Skills Development Scotland and Visit Scotland.

The preferred bidder(s) will be announced in 2015, with the winner taking over services when the council’s current contract with BT runs out in 2016.

It would run for a minimum of seven years with extensions which could take its duration to 19 years.

The tender said: “… the volume of services to be provided, the method by which those services are delivered and the specific type of services to be delivered may change over the lifetime of the contract.

“The service provider may also be required to participate in the transformation of the City of Edinburgh Council business and provide change management services in connection with the delivery of the ICT enabled services.”