In a significant move, Glasgow has awarded a £44.9 million contract to DataVita to enhance and manage the council’s core digital infrastructure, including essential compute and storage services that support daily public services. The initial term of the contract spans over five years and nine months, starting on October 8, 2025, with extension options that could potentially increase the total value to £80-110 million.
DataVita will operate from its Tier III-certified data centers in Scotland, offering primary and disaster recovery environments, managing physical and virtual servers, scalable storage, and backup systems for added protection, including immutable copies. The company will collaborate with Glasgow’s Service Integration and Management (SIAM) function as the council transitions to a multi-source IT delivery model involving multiple strategic partners.
The partnership aims to establish a more resilient platform for Glasgow’s complex digital estate, supporting a multi-source IT delivery approach rather than relying on a single service provider. Additionally, the contract is expected to create up to 25 new jobs, including apprenticeships, contributing to social and economic benefits. DataVita’s Managing Director, Danny Quinn, emphasized the company’s commitment to delivering value and innovation, while Glasgow City Council’s Digital Glasgow Board Chair, Paul Leinster, highlighted the importance of a secure, resilient digital infrastructure to enhance service delivery and support the city’s sustainability goals.
This development aligns with Scotland’s broader efforts to leverage digital infrastructure for economic growth, especially as data centers play a crucial role in AI advancements and public sector modernization. The contract coincides with Lanarkshire being designated as the UK’s latest AI Growth Zone, with plans for significant data center capacity expansion and renewable energy infrastructure development. DataVita’s reputation as a sustainable data center provider has been pivotal in gaining support from public and local government entities, underscoring the importance of environmentally conscious practices in the digital infrastructure sector.
