Customer Story Province of Drenthe

More than four years ago, the Province of Drenthe decided to outsource the technical management of its Oracle databases and applications. The primary reason was the desire to ensure continuity and improve efficiency. Following a thorough European tendering process, the choice fell on MCX. Four years have passed since then, and the contract for the coming years has once again been awarded to MCX. It is time to take a closer look at this story.

A new era for the Province of Drenthe

Four years ago, the Province of Drenthe stood on the eve of a new era. The ICT department wanted to outsource the technical management of the Oracle databases and the E-Business Suite. This marked the beginning of a new era, as it was the province's first major outsourcing. “That caused quite a stir,” states Lammert Elema, Team Leader Information & Automation at the Province of Drenthe. “For the first time, we handed over something big.”

Fear of cold water

“We noticed that many of our colleagues were worried. The concerns mainly related to the continuity and quality of the Oracle systems. We found this apprehension very understandable. One of the things we took to allay those fears was to involve colleagues as much as possible in drafting and formulating the tender requirements. In this way, we tried to create the broadest possible support base,” says Lammert.

The choice fell on MCX

Many parties – from large to small – submitted bids for the tender at the time. The choice ultimately fell on MCX. Not only because they fully met all the described requirements, but also because MCX stood out due to its competitive pricing. Lammert: “We had included in the tender that we were looking for a true partner and not a traditional supplier. MCX had naturally formulated a nice response to that, but in practice, you always have to see if it actually works out that way. MCX lived up to our expectations in that regard.”

Intensive and successful collaboration

We have collaborated intensively with MCX for four years. Lammert: “We continuously held each other accountable for events. What went well? What went less well? And how can we improve technical management? As far as we are concerned, this attitude towards each other has been crucial to the success of this outsourcing. MCX and the Province of Drenthe do not have a classic client-supplier relationship. We truly view MCX as an extension of our ICT department. It is also important that MCX anticipates market developments and looks ahead. They do this well and regularly provide us with proactive advice.”

Improvements in efficiency and continuity

“The outsourcing of technical management has proven to be a resounding success,” Lammert continues. The province has made a significant efficiency gain. By outsourcing technical management, we no longer need specialist personnel to handle this. Furthermore, continuity is guaranteed. “The mere fact that we no longer have to worry about the absence of a technical Oracle administrator is already a major advantage. And considering the increasing pressure on technical management due to all developments in the ICT market, we can certainly state that continuity has also improved. We work in a very stable Oracle environment.”

MCX as a textbook example

Efficiency and continuity are not the only benefits achieved through outsourcing. The entire perspective within the Province of Drenthe regarding the outsourcing of services has also completely changed. In fact, the province is using the outsourcing to MCX as an example within the organization to demonstrate the success of outsourcing. Lammert: “The initial apprehension among our colleagues has all but disappeared. The fact that the outsourcing of such an important service is proceeding flawlessly speaks volumes. We are very pleased with that.”

Chose MCX again

Following the conclusion of the four-year contract, the Province of Drenthe issued another European tender. MCX emerged as the best party in this tender as well. The Province of Drenthe is expected to develop further into a professional service provider that, together with its suppliers, ensures the agreed quality and can always meet customer demand. Lammert: “Based on the experiences of the past few years, I have full confidence that we will continue to work successfully with MCX in the coming years for optimal technical management of the Oracle platform.”

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