UK government signs new three-year Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft
April 21, 2021 | Microsoft reporter
The UK government has signed a new three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft to enable public sector organisations to continue to unlock the benefits of cloud computing and business applications.
The new MOU, entitled the Digital Transformation Arrangement 2021 (DTA21), allows all eligible public sector organisations to benefit from discounts and beneficial terms for Microsoft 365, Azure as well as associated Support and Consulting services, and for the first time â Dynamics 365 and Power Platform cloud services.
DTA21 renews the existing DTA MOU as a three-year agreement starting on May 1, 2021, and runs until April 2024. It brings together Microsoft 365, which includes Modern Workplace offerings such as Teams, the current Azure Pricing Arrangement (APA) and expands into new areas such as Business Applications.
With work on the supercomputer already underway, it s expected to become operational in July 2022.
The liquid-cooled HPE Cray EX supercomputer will be used to create elaborately detailed city-scale simulations, designed to improve the accuracy of localised weather predictions. The data will also be used to improve city design and help reduce risks associated with the rollout of new transport networks.
The deal will see Microsoft provide the Met Office with Azure’s supercomputing as a service platform, including those across its artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance data archive systems.
In order to be able “to make progress with the ecological challenges we face, [this] requires innovation, technology, and partnerships”, according to Microsoft UK CEO Clare Barclay.
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Starting on 1 May, it will renew the existing MOU and will run until April 2024. This new agreement with Microsoft builds on the government s One Government Cloud Strategy, which supports the key principle of treating government as one single customer, Gareth Rhys Williams, the government s chief commercial officer said. It shows the government s determination to drive transformation as well as adopt value for money technologies that improve services and ensure government departments and their staff have the digital tools they need, now and in the future.
The DTA21 MOU covers products such as Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 E5 Security and Compliance, Phone System Calling Plans, Dynamics 365, PowerApps, Azure Cognitive Services and AI, Azure Analytics, Azure Synapse and Azure Arc.
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