Joint venture sees firms win contract

TrustMarque Solutions of Clifton Moor teamed up with Matrix Forty Two of George Street, Pocklington, to pitch for the contract with the Local Government Ombudsman.

The deal means that TrustMarque Solutions, which is Microsoft's second biggest re-seller in England, will upgrade software for the Commission for Local Administration's offices at Beverley House, in Shipton Road, York, as well as in Coventry and London. Matrix Forty Two will upgrade the skills of 150 staff at the three venues.

This is the second time the two organisations have combined with blockbuster results. Last year TrustMarque brought in Matrix Forty Two on a £200,000 contract which involved upgrading programmes on 2,000 PCs, then training the entire council staff of the Royal Borough Of Kensington and Chelsea, using a team of five "floorwalkers".

But this is the first time the two firms have linked arms at the outset to make a single pitch.

Samantha Mudd, TrustMarque Solution's director of services, said the Ombudsman contract involved upgrading all of its desktop processing, including spreadsheets, word processing and presentation applications.

"They will all be the latest revisions of Microsoft technology. They should be in place by the time training begins next month and the training will continue until February 2003."

Jooli Atkins, director of Matrix Forty Two, said: "Neither of us could have gained that contract alone.

Together, we were able to venture where often only the very big operators dared to tread.

"The lesson for everyone is that if businesses collaborated rather than competed they can win out. More than that - they should look out for one another. We are always looking for software opportunities for TrustMarque. It is always looking out for training opportunities for us."

A spokesperson for the Commission for Local Administration said:: "It was a closed tender and five firms were invited to compete. They got it."

Updated: 09:04 Tuesday, August 20, 2002