Sopra Steria's £370M Capita spat heads for 2028 courtroom showdown
French SI still crying foul over shared services contract, alleges bid was 42% under DWP's own cost model
System integrator Sopra Steria is set to face trial in 2028 over a £370 million contract awarded to Capita for running shared services for finance and HR across Whitehall departments. A judge has scheduled the trial for early next year, pending attempts to settle the case out of court. The French-based firm argues that Capita's bid for the £958.7 million tender, which was less than 40 percent of the estimated value, was abnormally low and based on staffing levels significantly below current levels.
Both Capita and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) maintain that the procurement process was robust and committed to providing value for money. The trial is set to last seven weeks at the Technology and Construction Court, with alternative dispute resolution ongoing to potentially avoid a trial. This case occurs amid ongoing issues for Capita, including its handling of the Civil Service Pensions Scheme, which has left some 1.7 million members struggling to receive payments.
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