Soft Market Testing (SMT) - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Tender description

This is a soft market testing exercise in relation to an upcoming requirement the City of London (CoL) has for a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution. The soft market testing will involve the submission of the SMT questionnaire to be received by 12:00 on 24th April 2024 via the capitalesourcing portal (www.capitalesourcing.com). If your organisation would like to participate in this soft market testing exercise, it should firstly complete, sign and return the Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA), via the portal, prior to being able to access the SMT questionnaire. The supplier then can complete and return the SMT Questionnaire. The SMT will be sent once the supplier has returned the NDA via: www.capitalesourcing.com, refer to the Reference number: prj_COL_23747 or pqq_COL_1943. The City will not be held accountable for any errors made by an organisation in submitting their applicable SMT Questionnaire(s). Participation or non-participation in the SMT shall not prevent any supplier participating in a potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of the SMT shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process. Participants will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to the SMT or failure to attend any follow up interviews that may be arranged at the absolute discretion of the City. Participation in this SMT will be at each organisation's own cost. No expense in responding to this SMT will be reimbursed by the City. Lot 1: SMT in this case is where the CoL, is at an early stage in development of its proposals but prior to formulating any formal procurement opportunity, it seeks input from the market as to what might be the most attractive way of packaging and scoping a future procurement opportunity for a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution contract. This contract covers the City of London (CoL) and City of London Police (CoLP). The City of London and associated organisations (“the City”) have a number of strategic technology workstreams and transformation programmes that requite world class network connectivity, from any device, from anywhere. As part of the future planning for a modern, high performance and hyperconnected organisation, the City will conduct a Soft Market Engagement which will offer the City the opportunity to better understand the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions market.