CACI lands Scottish Census digital overhaul contract

CACI might be facing a reduced role in gathering the UK Census, as the Office of National Statistics investigates new ways to gather population data, but it has just received a boost north of the border by being awarded two contracts to deliver services for Scotland’s Census 2021.
As part of National Records of Scotland’s plans to create a digital-first Census, CACI will provide both online data collection and operational management systems.
The process is moving from primarily paper based to primarily online, and it is expected that the 2021 Census will see the majority of people choose to fill in the census online.
NRS will require up-to-date information about which households have completed a return and which have not. This will enable them to manage the Census fieldworkers across Scotland, prioritising which households to visit to maximise response rates.
The operational management system will keep track of how the Census questionnaires are being completed and provide timely information to all concerned.
CACI chief executive Greg Bradford said: “It’s a milestone moment: consumer attitudes to online channels are completely different than a decade ago and a predominately online census is now a reality. We intend to support the team at NRS with robust, high quality and secure data collection system – we’re delighted to have been selected again.”
National Records of Scotland chief executive Tim Ellis added: “One of NRS’ key priorities is to protect the confidentiality of everyone who takes part in Scotland’s Census 2021. CACI demonstrated its experience and capability in handling large volumes of sensitive data, proposing a high quality solution that delivers value for public money.
“Security is our top priority: by partnering with CACI we can reassure people across Scotland that the Census data they submit will be kept private and secure. We’re looking forward to working with CACI’s experts to prepare for 2021.”