Plessey-CAP Network Services Ltd is staggered at the UK government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, CCTA, decision to reject its bid for the Government Data Network, GDN, contract, to be awarded in the Autumn 1987. GTE’s Telenet Communications Corp had been brought in on the contract as subcontractor and is so incensed at the decision that it is flying two officials over from the US to demand an explanation. Plessey-CAP was confident of winning the contract on the grounds that over 90% of the resources to be used in its proposal were UK sourced and it had set up a company specifically to operate the network. The three finalists are Cable and Wireless with ICL, British Telecom with Computer Sciences Corp and Racal with Scicon. Electronic Data Systems pulled out of the contract in February leaving its partner Northern Telecom in the lurch (CI No 616). The CCTA will be debriefing Plessey-CAP on the decision at the end of next week. Final tenders are due in the summer.
