Article by Russell Quinn, journalist at WA Business News

ONE of the state’s largest IT consulting firms has signed a pair of multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts with public and private sector clients.

Perth-based national IT outfit Ajilon secured a contract with the state government’s land information authority, Landgate, just before Christmas last year potentially worth $25 million over five years for the company.

This came after Ajilon and one of the state’s largest not-for-profit insurers, HBF, extended their decade-long relationship for at least a further three years, with a two-year extension option.

The company says it will be the sole service provider under the contract with Landgate, whereby the firm will deliver major IT applications development and support services to the agency for the next three years, with two one-year extension options, at $5 million per year.

Fellow IT firm Kinetic IT has existing contracts with Landgate for the delivery of infrastructure and hardware, but Landgate’s chief executive Mike Bradford said Ajilon would work with Landgate’s existing providers, including Kinetic IT, to assist the agency in its push to provide more of its services online.

And there’s more contract news to be announced in the very near future, according to Ajilon WA general manager Chris Benthien.

He said the Landgate contract signing followed similar large multi-million dollar deals it won last year with the WA Department of the Attorney General and WA Police worth about $100 million over 10 years.

“Winning this contract with Landgate cements our reputation as the leading applications development and support provider to the WA state government,” Mr Benthien said.

The size of the latest HBF contract, which will require 36 consultants providing resources and services, has been kept quiet.

Mr Benthien said the account, the company’s fifth largest, held special meaning for Ajilon.

“They [HBF] took a chance with a small WA operation and in the early days; it was very important as they were a great reference for us,” he said.

Securing these contracts in a challenging year helped Ajilon achieve close to 30 per cent growth in 12 months, with government work now making up about 35 per cent of its business alongside its resources, utilities and banking sector projects.

“It’s our DNA I guess, that all clients are treated the same,” Mr Benthien said.

“And we’re reinvesting back in the business with improved methods and tool sets and we’ve been active in hiring.”