Version 1 to deliver GBP £95 million upgrade for Scottish rural IT

Scottish Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate has chosen Version 1 as its digital support partner for the Digital and Data Division.

Version 1 will be responsible for managing, enhancing, and supporting the Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate's existing digital and IT estate, as well as implementing new digital-first solutions intended to increase efficiency, resilience, and accessibility for Scotland's farmers and crofters.

This partnership carries a value of up to £95 million over seven years and is expected to contribute to the long-term sustainability of Scotland's rural environment.

The Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate's Digital and Data Division oversees digital services critical to agricultural production, rural payments, and compliance with regulations in Scotland. Each year, roughly £600 million is distributed through the major Rural Payments and Services digital platform and supporting systems.

The contract results from the Directorate's evaluation of existing arrangements with the goal of modernising technical infrastructure while ensuring efficient use of public funds. Version 1 was selected following a procurement process designed to secure good value for money and continuity of reliable digital services.

Nick Downes, Chief Digital and Data Officer at ARE Digital and Data Division, said: "We operate in a complex environment that is subject to market pressures, policy changes and the steady introduction of new measures that deliver high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration. These challenges run in parallel with the imperative, in common with all Digital Services organisations, to ensure that technologies remain reliable, up-to-date and cost-effective to operate. To meet these challenges, we embarked upon a procurement process to replace the two longstanding, support and maintenance contract arrangements that we had in place to ensure good value for money for the public purse."

Downes added: "Farmers, crofters and rural communities are front and centre of our services, and Version 1 clearly showed expertise in understanding the detailed business rules and mechanics needed in delivering solutions that can achieve that. We were impressed by their expertise in their grasp of our environment, and critically, how to bring fresh learnings and digitally enabled approaches for improvements such as data-led policy planning, vitally important for rural land use. Our values are closely aligned, and we look forward to delivering even better, seamless service to our customers going forward."

Under the agreement, Version 1 will be responsible for the transfer of services that support, maintain, and enhance the existing digital and IT estate. The company also intends to modernise service delivery by introducing approaches that support farmers and rural communities using digital platforms, building on experience with similar public sector customers in the agriculture domain.

Roop Singh, Chief Commercial Officer at Version 1, commented: "ARE plays an important role in helping Scotland stay at the forefront of innovation and environmental stewardship and we're very excited to play a part in that journey. Working together we'll be helping to set even higher standards for digital transformation that is not just centred around technology, but also is grounded in people and planet focused priorities."

The Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate forms part of the DG Net Zero family of Directorates within the Scottish Government, with a mission to advance vibrant, sustainable communities and support the protection of Scotland's natural environment. The Digital and Data Division provides the technical capability to keep digital services reliable and secure, with support from both in-house and contracted specialists.

Version 1 will support ARE by delivering projects that focus on strategic advice, requirements definition, service design, solution development, and ongoing service support and maintenance. This is expected to help ARE respond to policy changes and technological innovations while enhancing service for end users throughout the Scottish rural economy.