NI Courts Service awards £85M contract to Canadian IT firm CGI

Canadian tech firm CGI has won an £85 million contract to modernise the IT system at the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Service (NITCS).

The firm, which opened its Belfast office last year, was announced by the Department of Justice as the winner of a competitive tender process for the contract which will run for 20 years.

Montreal-based CGI is listed on the Canadian stock exchange, the TSX, and on the New York Stock Exchange and provides IT and business consulting services to organisations around the world.

Known as The Themis Program, the work with NITCS will deliver a digital first system which will speed up court processes and improve efficiency throughout the organisation, Karen Ward, Chief Modernisation Officer at NICTS, said.

“The Themis Program is our cornerstone for wholescale transformation,” she said. “This project will enable us to deliver improved services and enhance how we operate, with a new IT solution incrementally replacing legacy systems.

“The far-reaching changes will benefit not only staff and the judiciary, but also the public, legal profession, NICTS Departments, and other justice partners, offering them direct online access to better designed services that meet their needs.”

Chris Shorthouse, Vice President – Client Engagement for Scotland & Northern Ireland at CGI, welcomed the contract award.

“CGI is honoured to be selected as the delivery partner for the Themis Program,” he said. “This project marks a major advancement in the modernisation of Northern Ireland’s justice system, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of all stakeholders.

“Our team in Belfast is proud to contribute to a program that will not only impact the present but also lay the foundation for future innovation, including the adoption of emerging technologies.”