Wide area network services

Tender description

This procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with a single service provider (Framework Contract) to meet the Council's current connectivity needs with the potential for future connectivity needs as part of the landmark initiative — ‘Connectivity as a Service’ (CaaS) to support the Council- delivering the Council’s connectivity needs now, and as they evolve over the next 20 years. This procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with a single service provider (Framework Contract) in accordance with Regulation 34 (6) to meet the Council’s current connectivity needs with the potential for other future connectivity needs as more fully described in the specification. The framework contract will be for longer than the usual 4 years (Regulation 34(4) due to the nature of the services required, the costs of investment and the market for such services. The framework contract will be for a period of up to 20 years (15 years extension of 5 years). This framework contract is to provision digital connectivity to Council Sites. The successful tenderer (Service Provider) must be flexible and capable of providing the Council's current and potential future connectivity needs as they evolve during the framework contract period, using any appropriate evolving technologies in this area. Tenderers are required to propose value added services to support the digital ambition set out in the Council’s Digital Strategy and in the Council Plan and any modification to these arrangements during the framework contract period. Services will be provided to the Council following receipt of a relevant order form as set out in the procedure noted in the Specification and conditions of contract. While direct award, where appropriate, is the intended route for initial services the Council reserves the right to seek quotes for future services. The Council has 4 identified connectivity contracts which will form the initial services sought under this framework contract: 1) Wide Area Network (WAN) Connectivity (fibre or equivalent) to Council sites; 2) Internet access; 3) Connectivity to CCTV sites; 4) Connectivity to traffic light sites (Urban Traffic Control). The Council has identified future Services which may be provided by the service provider under this framework include connectivity for: 1) Enterprise telephony (fixed and cellular); 2) Public WIFI; 3) Enterprise WLAN; 4) Internet of Things (IoT) including network, sensors and application management. Furthermore, the scope of future services that may be further extended to the following areas including but are not limited to: 1) Managed and unmanaged hosting/data centres services; 2) Enterprise LAN; 3) Security services such as URL filtering; 4) Cloud connectivity such as such as Express Route to Azure; 5) Remote workers access; 6) Networks and network services within IaaS. Before the Council creates a call-off Contract for any future services under this framework contract, it will ensure value for money will be achieved by utilising the framework in accordance with the call-off instructions contained within the invitation to tender which can be found on PCST project number 14983. Tenderers shall acknowledge that the Council reserves the right not to award any potential future services to the successful service provider and may conduct a separate procurement exercise outside the terms of the framework contract for the delivery of any Future Services and award such future services to third parties. Tenderers shall acknowledge that no form of exclusivity or volume guarantee will be granted for future services and the Council is entitled to enter into contractual arrangements with other service providers for such services where best value or operational reasons require.