8 June 2009 – VEGA Consulting Services Ltd (VEGA), a Finmeccanica company, has been chosen, following a competitive tender by the Department for Work and Pensions, to continue its support of the Government Connect programme until the programme’s closure at the end of September 2009.

Government Connect is the strategic partnership between central government departments and the local government community that provides a secure network connection for English and Welsh local authorities to support better collaboration between central and local government, and share sensitive information online, quickly, easily, securely and accurately. The programme is an example of how the successful exploitation of technology can enable Transformational Government.

VEGA has supported Government Connect since November 2006, working closely with the Government Connect Programme Support Office, the Requirements and System Architecture Team, and the Service Desk, Support and Implementation Managers. Notably, VEGA has managed a national team of security consultants who have advised local authorities on the Government Connect Secure eXtranet (GCSX) Code of Connection (CoCo) compliance. VEGA has also provided CLAS Security Consultants who have assessed GCSX CoCo submissions. VEGA consultants have been involved in more than 1,600 security assessments, resulting in over 250 local authorities having their GCSX CoCo approved (for the latest figures, please visit www.govconnect.gov.uk).

Government Connect Programme Director, Philip Littleavon, said: “I am pleased that VEGA will be continuing its support of Government Connect as the programme draws to a close. It has been a pleasure to work with the VEGA team which has always demonstrated professionalism, expertise, and flexibility in the services they deliver.”

VEGA General Manager, Paul MacGregor, commented: “I am very happy that VEGA has been invited to continue our work with the Government Connect team all the way to its conclusion. We are proud to have been associated with such a milestone project that will enable local authorities across England and Wales to fulfill their role in the UK’s Transformational Government agenda. This project is further demonstration of VEGA’s ability to support challenging information security and assurance issues affecting clients across government, the public sector and private industry.”