Information technology services

Tender description

Procurement of a new IT infrastructure and managed support service for Tower Hamlets Community Housing. Tower Hamlets Community Housing (THCH) currently has an IT managed service contract which, in 2013, delivered a new infrastructure based on VMware and Citrix desktop. The supplier has hosted this in a colocation data centre and provides a disaster recovery service should the colocation service fail. The supplier has provided a full support wrap providing first, second, and third line support with a limited number of third-party second and third line supporting contracts (e.g. for the telephone system). This has included both regular on-site attendance by both engineering and applications staff. This contract expires in 2020 and THCH is now seeking to renew this contract to deliver a similar range of services including a refresh of expired IT hardware. The scope of the contract will include all services provided by the current supplier, as detailed above. The key elements will be a refresh of hardware assets (which may be delivered as customer-owned assets in colocation data centre, public cloud, private cloud, or a hybrid of some of all of these. The supplier selected will be required to demonstrate capabilities in both the provision of the infrastructure and the ongoing first, second, and third line support services. The key objective is to provide continuity of the IT service to THCH users. However, THCH also expects the need for technology to change significantly over the contract term and the selected supplier will be expected to work with THCH to deliver innovation including digital services for staff and customers, smart homes, improved use of data assets and business intelligence and other initiatives to support THCH communities. The contract with the successful bidder shall last for an initial period of four (4) years, with an option to extend at THCH’s sole discretion for a further three (3) periods of one (1) year each, giving a total potential term of up to seven (7) years.