IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Tender description

The contracting entity, on behalf of its operating subsidiary companies, Gas Networks Ireland and Irish Water require Microsoft software and associated licences in respect of a range of Microsoft technologies (listed in this notice) that are used for the provision of core infrastructure applications and to underpin IT applications currently hosted by the contracting entity. The complexity of the contracting entity’s environment and its dependency on the Microsoft technologies requires support which is aligned directly to the software provider. These technologies are only available directly from Microsoft. The contracting entity is seeking to award two separate contracts each for a 3-year period commencing 1 April 2021 for its subsidiaries Gas Networks Ireland and Irish Water to Microsoft Operations Ireland Ltd (Microsoft) for the continued access to the aforementioned Microsoft technologies. The contracting entity intends to award the contracts to Microsoft for enterprise software and licencing, consultancy, support and maintenance (including updates) services on the basis of the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to Article 50(c)(iii) of Directive 2014/25/EU for tender reference 20/081, on the basis that Microsoft is the only economic operator capable of providing such services (on the basis of Microsoft exclusivity rights). Microsoft alone has the specific technical knowledge and skills necessary to undertake the services as they own and have developed the relevant software products and applications used by the contracting entity in connection with its operations. The scope of the contracts shall include the following Microsoft technologies and all associated licensing; • Microsoft Office (both on-premise software as well as Office 365), • Microsoft operating systems, • Microsoft database products, • Microsoft power app products, • Microsoft business intelligence products, • Microsoft cloud services including Microsoft Azure, • Microsoft customer relationship management applications (specifically Microsoft Dynamics).