RM appointed preferred bidder

RM PLC
20 January 2004

20th January 2004

RM appointed preferred bidder for £16 million Warwickshire LEA educational ICT
PFI project

RM plc, the UK's leading supplier of ICT and other services to education, has
been appointed preferred bidder for a major educational ICT PFI project with
Warwickshire LEA (local education authority). Under the eight-year contract,
worth £16 million, RM will provide 1,554 teachers with ICT-based Teacher
Toolkits designed to improve teaching and learning in Warwickshire schools. This
is one of four pathfinder DfES projects aimed at raising educational standards
through the innovative application of Information Communication Technologies.

Each Teacher Toolkit includes an RM Tablet PC, which will be used as both a
personal productivity tool and for delivering lessons. Teachers will be provided
with Kaleidos, RM's virtual teaching and learning environment, to support them
in planning, preparing, delivering and assessing lessons. Classrooms will be
equipped with data projectors, allowing teachers to use their
wirelessly-connected Tablet PCs for interactive whole-class teaching. RM will
also provide a managed, authority-wide network and portal solution, based on RM
Community Connect 3, Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server and Windows 2003 Server.
In addition, 40,000 pupils will benefit from access to enhanced digital content
and lessons through Kaleidos.

Commenting on the contract, John Parmiter, PFI Project Director for Warwickshire
LEA said:

'I am pleased to be working in partnership with RM to deliver this project.
Embedding ICT into teaching and learning is an important priority for
Warwickshire LEA and RM shares our vision for ensuring that technology makes a
difference. We chose RM as they offered a highly innovative ICT solution rooted
in education experience with proven ability to deliver large and complex public
sector ICT projects'

Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, added:

'Warwickshire LEA has not traditionally been a significant user of RM products
and services, so it's excellent news for RM that they have chosen us as their
partner for this project.'
'At the heart of the solution we're providing for Warwickshire LEA is RM's
innovative Kaleidos virtual teaching and learning environment. Kaleidos provides
support for teachers across the whole teaching and learning cycle - planning,
preparation, delivery and assessment. Kaleidos, together with a wide range of
educational content, will give teachers in Warwickshire a firm base for
embedding ICT in their classrooms and ultimately improve standards for all
pupils involved in the Project.'

- Ends -

For further information, please contact:
Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc          08709 200200
Andrew Fenwick/Mark Antelme, Brunswick    020 7404 5959

Notes to Editors:
1. RM was shortlisted for the Warwickshire LEA PFI project in Autumn 2003. The
Group will now enter into detailed negotiations with Warwickshire LEA and final
contract award is expected by the end of March.
2. Financing for the PFI element of the project will be provided for from RM's
cash resources. The peak financing requirement is expected to be £5 million in
2005. Annual turnover for the eight-year contract is expected to be broadly
flat.


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