Department signs contract that looks to improve use of emerging technology

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The Department for Work and Pensions has signed a £2m one-year deal with Capgemini that it hopes will deliver “unconstrained innovation”.

The consultancy and outsourcing firm will work with the DWP to support the operation of its Innovation Lab – a facility that aims to support the implementation of new ideas and technology across the department.

In its role as “innovation partner”, Capgemini will be expected to enable the lab “to scale the exploration of an idea, optimising, sustaining innovation and using radical invocation”.

“Capacity to scale up, should we require it, is needed,” the DWP added.

The department picked out three areas where it requires assistance from Capgemini: ownership; learning; and culture.

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“We want to develop the right method for internal strong ownership, traction and scaling,” it said.  “The ability of an innovation partner to support this and help promote the concept of innovation, embedding into the wider culture is key.”

The DWP added: “The ability of a partner to teach us is fundamental. Their ability to formalise mechanisms to help understanding and keep innovation relevant will be a key success.”

On cultural issues, the department noted that “we have our own language, culture and restrictions”.

“An innovation partner will need to understand the mechanics of government and how to operate within its context culturally,” it said. 

In addition to these three areas, the consulting company will “will also help the Innovation Lab to achieve the following successes: [be] recognised as a leading innovator across government and creative/innovation sectors; influence and support the development of a progressive creative innovative culture; form and lead innovation alliances; identify, recognise and promote innovative talent; contribute to DWP goals and ambitions; deliver outcomes that help to solve problems for users and DWP business; [and] contribute to the efficiency of DWP, [in areas such as] costs, process, productivity and resources”.

The DWP has signed a one-year contract with Capgemini that came into effect on 23 October. The deal will be worth £2m to the Paris-headquartered firm.

“The department said: “The DWP Innovation lab is a place for unconstrained innovation based on technology, It uses design thinking practices and draws from the wider innovation ecosystem to bring cutting-edge technology to bear on major cross-cutting problems for our customers, staff and business problems.”