A city is poised to sign a historic £186m ICT contract that could improve web access in local schools and boost service upgrades.
Edinburgh City Council's finance and resources committee is set to green light a report naming firm CGI as the preferred bidder for its seven year contract next Monday (3 August).
It is expected to save the local authority at least £45m while providing an additional £46m of local services.
In a Scottish first, the contract could be extended to over 50 other public sector organisations.
If approved, the deal would raise bandwidth 50 times in secondary schools and by up to 100 times in primary schools.
Support would be given to the council's ongoing channel shift programme and over 200 local jobs and 60 modern apprentice opportunities created.
Cllr Alasdair Rankin, convener of the finance and resources committee, said: 'As a council we are currently going through a sea change in the way we do business. The council must reduce its costs by at least £107m over the next five years.
'This level of proposed saving is very significant and IT will be vital to help us transform and meet our savings challenge. If approved, this contract will make us more efficient and effective when delivering services.'
