Northern Ireland Education Authority adds £15 million to Fujitsu contract without new tender

The Northern Ireland Education Authority has announced a £15 million addition to its existing EA One contract with Fujitsu, raising the overall ceiling to £55.4 million. The increase will be used to activate five one-year extension options already stipulated in the original agreement, extending Fujitsu’s role until 31 March 2032, well beyond the current term ending in March 2027. The authority justified the decision by citing the extensive customisation of the EA One system and the risk of technical disruption, duplicated costs, and inconvenience if a new supplier were introduced before the planned replacement is operational.

The contract, valued at £40.4 million before the extension, has previously been amended, including a £9.2 million uplift in 2021. Fujitsu, which inherited the Post Office Horizon system after acquiring ICL, has apologized for its part in the scandal and voluntarily refrained from bidding for new UK government contracts until the statutory inquiry concludes, though it may still negotiate extensions with existing customers. The authority’s EnAble Programme aims to replace EA One with a new solution by 2032.