Infrastructure as a service and Deskside Support for South Downs National Park Authority

South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is conducting a strategic review of its Information Technology function regarding its existing managed IT services. Our current IAAS and deskside support contracts end on 30 June 2025. We are exploring the feasibility of merging the two contracts. SDNPA is conducting preliminary market engagement with managed service providers to understand market capabilities and understand possible approaches and associated risks, using a market engagement questionnaire. This is an open engagement exercise in which any potential providers can participate. A summary of the engagement process along with any learning and how it has influenced service design would be published as part of any subsequent procurement process. A background document and the questionnaire are available by emailing tenders@southdowns.gov.uk. The deadline for completed questionnaires is close of play on Monday 23 September 2024. The Services described in the background document and questionnaire relate to the Contracting Authority's intention to establish a contract or contracts for an estimated three-year initial term, with the option to extend for a maximum of two further years at the Contracting Authority’s discretion. The extension(s) may be by a single period or successive periods of twelve months. An indicative overall total budget value for the initial three-year term of the new contract(s) is in the region of £1,000,000 excluding VAT. For the avoidance of doubt, this exercise does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works for SDNPA, and the Authority is not committing to carrying out such a process. Participation or non-participation in the pre-procurement market engagement process shall not prevent any supplier participating in a potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of the pre-procurement process shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process. Participation in the pre-procurement market engagement procurement process will be at each supplier's own cost. No expense in responding to this process will be reimbursed by the SDNPA.