A major school software supplier is taking legal action against an academy trust after losing out on a £2 million contract.
Bromcom Computers filed a High Court claim against Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) last Friday over the procurement of a five-year deal to supply its school management information system.
The company is currently embroiled in a High Court spat with United Learning (UL) after it failed to obtain a similar five-year contract worth £2 million.
In that instance, Bromcom claimed the trust had breached procurement law. The case is ongoing and is not expected to conclude until the middle of next year at the earliest.
Schools Week understands the AET contract, for 57 schools, was ultimately awarded to Arbor Education – which also won the UL deal.
Details of the action against AET are yet to be published.
Rebecca Boomer-Clark, the chief executive of AET, said it was “very disappointing” Bromcom was pursuing a legal route. It would “only serve to absorb precious time and money that would otherwise be supporting our schools”.
The trust was confident “the procurement process was thorough”.
Bromcom said it had only taken legal action as a “last resort” and had “on a small number of occasions challenged apparently unlawful procurement practices to make sure taxpayers secure value for money”.
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