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Northern Ireland Seeks to Replace Capita in £851m Schools IT Deal

WireByte Staff · July 7, 2026

Northern Ireland's Education Authority is seeking to replace Capita in a £851m IT services deal, after a previous attempt to end the contract foundered. The new contract, worth up to £851m, aims to replace the existing technical infrastructure and services for over 1,100 schools, covering 350,000 pupils and 40,000 staff.

Key points

  • Northern Ireland's Education Authority is seeking a new supplier to provide Education Technology Managed Services (ETMS) worth up to £851m.
  • The ETMS contract will cover over 1,100 schools, 350,000 pupils, 22,000 teachers, and 40,000 non-teaching staff.
  • The deal aims to replace and transform the technical infrastructure and services for schools known as the Education Network for Northern Ireland.
  • The value of the ETMS deal is around £246m for core services, with a further £605m possible for contract extensions and optional services.
  • The contract has a maximum potential value of £851m, including tax, and is set to run until 2027.

Northern Ireland's Education Authority (EANI) is seeking to replace Capita in a £851m IT services deal, after a previous attempt to end the contract foundered. The new contract, worth up to £851m, aims to replace the existing technical infrastructure and services for over 1,100 schools, covering 350,000 pupils and 40,000 staff.

The deal is a significant development in the ongoing saga of Capita's contract with EANI. The UK tech services company has been providing IT services to schools in Northern Ireland since 2012, with the contract extended multiple times without competition. The previous attempt to end the contract foundered when EANI ended its £485m contract with Fujitsu by 'mutual agreement' in November 2024.

The new ETMS contract is set to 'replace and transform the technical infrastructure and services for schools known as the Education Network for Northern Ireland' – the service Capita currently provides. The value of the ETMS deal is around £246m for core services, with a further £605m possible for contract extensions and optional services. The contract has a maximum potential value of £851m, including tax, and is set to run until 2027.

The move is likely to be closely watched by the tech industry, as it highlights the challenges of delivering large-scale IT services contracts. The outcome of the procurement process is expected to have significant implications for Capita and the education sector in Northern Ireland.

Sources

WireByte Staff — Editorial Team

The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.