Postal and telecommunications services

Tender description

Continuation of existing internet protocol and email services (the GCF Core Services) serving the Public Sector Network (PSN). The Crown Commercial Service, acting on behalf of 454 UK public sector organisations, proposes to contract with Vodafone Ltd for GCF Core Services under direct award. It is unrealistic for another contractor to replace this service directly as citizen services will be severely disrupted without the GCF Core in a state of parallel running with any replacement. An open competition for such replacements is being conducted during the lifetime of this contract. Commercial disaggregation of the previously provided GCF service has been agreed with Vodafone with the newly contracted service reduced to a minimal core to enable service continuity and deliver cost savings whilst replacements are procured separately through open competition as stated above. Non-core GCF services have been re-procured separately by end users from multiple suppliers.