SPISN/131 - Unified Comms - Subject Matter Expert

Tender description

Summary of the work Provide specialist IT skills within a System Design Authority for Information Systems and Networks (ISN) Delivery Team. The ISN remit is to deliver and support a new IT capability based on Evergreen and Agile principles. Design and deliver specific services and technologies within a dynamic and specialist team Specialist role Technical Architect Expected Contract Length 31st July 2021 Latest start date Monday 18 May 2020 Maximum Day Rate £780 Who Speclialist Work With Working closely as part of the System Design Authority, alongside architects, system designers and business analysts. The specialist will also need to work with the Service Transition and Service operations team, and have engagement with procurement and project management functions What Specialists Work On Provide specialist IT skills within a System Design Authority for Information Systems and Networks (ISN) Delivery Team. Working towards specific milestones building to the implementation of Complete Unified Comms Architecture. The ISN remit is to deliver and support a new IT capability based on Evergreen and Agile principles. Design and deliver specific services and technologies within a dynamic and specialist team. Skills & Experience • Significant experience with the design, deployment and operations of Lync 2010 & Skype for Business 2015 • Significant experience with the design, deployment and operations of Cisco Unified Communications & Collaboration systems (Desirable: Cisco CCIE Collaboration certification) • Significant experience with Oracle Enterprise Session Border Controllers and Oracle Enterprise Communications Broker • Experience of Enterprise Architecture (Desirable : TOGAF 9 and/or Zachman certification) • Experience with Network Boundary Technologies and Federation • Experience implementing secure VoIP and VTC (Desirable: CISSP certification) • Experience with Microsoft Certificate Services • Experience with the design and deployment of attendant console/switchboard solutions Nice to Haves • Experience with deploying VoIP/VTC clients • Experience with Cisco IOS (Desirable: Cisco CCNP certification) • Experience with Hyper-V and VMware • Experience with Microsoft Active Directory Work Location The work will predominantly take place at a location in the West Midlands (to be confirmed on Contract Award), with occasional travel necessary to other locations in the south of England. Working Arrangments 5 days a week between 0830 - 1730. Fridays will be no earlier than 4pm finish. Regular work with technical specialists in support team, face to face meetings and workshops. Occasional meetings in other customer locations, travelling within the working day where possible. T&S will not be provided separately and is expected to be incorporated into the Supplier's day rate. Security Clearance This contract will require that the specialist is DV cleared and a UK national. This is a fundamental and essential requirement of this competition. Due to the time scales involved the specialist must hold DV clearance at time of application Additional T&Cs The following conditions will apply to this contract, full text can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/acquisition-operating-framework DEFCON 5J (Edn 18/11/16)-Unique Identifiers DEFCON 76 (Edn 12/06) Contractor’s Personnel at Government Sites DEFCON 501 (Edn 11/17)-Definitions and Interpretations DEFCON 513 (Edn 11/16)-Value Added Tax DEFCON 522 (Edn 11/17) Payment and Recovery of Sums Due DEFCON 658 (Edn 10/17) Cyber; please see technical competence criteria. Cyber Risk level: N/A. Risk Assessment Reference: N/A DEFCON 659A(Edn 02/17) Security Measures DEFCON 660(Edn 12/15) Official-Sensitive Security Requirements DEFCON 703(Edn 08/13) Intellectual Property Rights - Vesting in the Authority. No. of Specialists to Evaluate 3 Cultural Fit Criteria • Work with our team including other contractors • Share knowledge and experience freely across the team • Be confident standing up for this discipline and behind their recommendations Assessment Method Interview Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 65% Cultural fit 5% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers 1. I have a great associate of our company available, but this person only has SC level clearance! Sorry to ask, but is DV essential? Yes it is only open to DV cleared candidates 2. Please can you clarify your point "Occasional meetings in other customer locations, travelling within the working day where possible. T&S will not be provided separately and is expected to be incorporated into the Supplier's day rate."I have never seen this before, unless the client is specific about places and frequency. Does your request mean the agreed day rate must include all travel to anywhere in the country ? Can you be more specific please?In my experience, the day rate is inclusive of base location and all other locations will be paid on expenses by the client (buyer). Travel and Expenses will not be paid. Occasional meetings at DE&S Bristol may be required. 3. Would you allow remote working? Currently remote working isn't possible. 4. Can you please confirm if there is a current incumbent? Yes 5. Is there any possibility to sponsor the DV? No - The candidate needs to already be DV cleared. 6. Can the Authority please confirm the IR35 status of this role? Off-payroll working rules (IR35) applies - However this needs to be check by the individual. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax 7. Can I just confirm specifically where in the West Midlands you are based? Exact location will be given to shortlisted candidates.It is near Hereford 8. Are you happy to sponsor a specialist to get their lapsed DV clearance reviewed, or does time not allow for this? Time does allow for this 9. If a candidate is successful, would you be happy for them to start remotely due to Covid 19? Unfortunate, this isn't possible. 10. Can you interview remotely and offer remotely? The interview will take place over the phone. 11. Is the process from applications review, interview and offer going to be delayed due to Covid 19? No 12. Can I confirm how quickly you will move forward with interviews? If you had an exact timescale that would be great so we can inform candidates (22nd Wednesday is the closing day for applications, what date will you provide feedback and what date will you start interview processes)? Feedback will be given to all candidates by the 1st May, informing them if they have been shortlisted to interview stage. Telephone interviews will take place week commencing 4th May. 13. Is this rate including or excluding VAT? Including 14. To narrow down the absolute essential criteria, can I confirm the top 3 must have skills? Could I also confirm area's where you are more relaxed on with regards to the job spec provided (just to we do not narrow ourselves in our search)? All skills are relevant, I am unable to select 3 essential ones. 15. The technology you have listed in the key skills and experiences is over 10 years old and is no longer supported by Microsoft. Our consultants have this experience but would like to know if you will be using newer technology as part of this project please? All our products have been purchased with active support and these are the technologies we will be using.