Official UK procurement notice
LGfL Applications and Support Services (LASS) Contract
Authority: London Grid for Learning Trust
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionPursuant to the publication of a voluntary ex-ante notice on 05/08/2023, reference - 2023/S 000-022840 (VEAT Notice), the Authority has awarded a contract for the provision of a Universal Sign On (USO) Platform and Related Services for a period of 60 months to Atomwide Limited.
The Contract period is 22/12/2023 to 21/12/2028 with the option of a 36-month extension for the period 22/12/28 to 21/12/31.
The services provided by Atomwide are complex, deeply integrated and dependent on the use of proprietary software that was developed over an extended period. The software is not a commodity product due to its unique nature and its limited market; Atomwide is the only supplier capable of supporting and maintaining it.
Consequently, economic operators could not submit competitive tenders for the provision of alternative services without a licence from Atomwide for its proprietary materials resulting in an absence of genuine competition. Following extensive consideration of alternative options, LGfL determined that use of the negotiated procedure without prior notice under Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 was essential for the continued successful operation of LGfL.
CPV: IP telephone services · IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support · Software package and information systems
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1LGfL was established in 2001 as a Regional Broadband Authority by the 32 London local…Awarded
LGfL was established in 2001 as a Regional Broadband Authority by the 32 London local authorities and the City of London Council. It was established as a not-for-profit company and a registered charity, and is a body governed by public law. Its purpose is to provide broadband connectivity and Information and Communications Technology and related services to schools in London, LGfL’s ‘customers’. It currently provides essential services to over 3,000 schools providing education to around 1.2 million students each year.
Atomwide developed a proprietary product for the provision of a USO solution and related support services that is inextricably linked to the provision of broadband connectivity and related support and ICT services for the benefit of LGfL’s customers.
The proprietary nature of the USO solution and the nature of its deep and wide integration with the other services provided by LGfL to its customers means that an alternative supplier could not deliver replacement services without a licence from Atomwide. LGfL determined that proper competition would also be absent due to the complexity and interconnected nature of the solution and concluded that use of the negotiated procedure without prior notice under Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 was justified.LGfL conducted thorough due diligence of its options and satisfied itself that USO is a unique product delivering proprietary and interconnected services for which there is no comparable alternative in the Education market.
LGfL is developing a clear technology and design principles for future solutions which will require the replacement of proprietary solutions with those based on open standards and interoperability. This is a necessary strategic step to replace USO as a central system and to reduce dependency on USO during the term of the new contract.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 11 Jan 2024, 13:50 GMT
- Last source update
- 11 Jan 2024, 13:50 GMT
- Authority reference
DN677368- FTS notice number
2024/S 000-000957- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-042c5aFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Additional deliveries by the original supplier ordered under the strict conditions stated in the directive
- Published justification
Atomwide developed a proprietary product for the provision of a USO solution and related support services that is inextricably linked to the provision of broadband connectivity and related support and ICT services for the benefit of LGfL’s customers.
The proprietary nature of the USO solution and the nature of its deep and wide integration with the other services provided by LGfL to its customers means that an alternative supplier could not deliver replacement services without a licence from Atomwide. LGfL determined that proper competition would also be absent due to the complexity and interconnected nature of the solution and concluded that use of the negotiated procedure without prior notice under Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 was justified.
LGfL conducted thorough due diligence of its options and satisfied itself that USO is a unique product delivering proprietary and interconnected services for which there is no comparable alternative in the Education market.
The award of this contract is made pursuant to the publication of the VEAT Notice and a further voluntary delay of 30 days’ following its publication.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATOMWIDE LIMITED | £21,800,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 000957-2024-DN677368-1 · ATOMWIDE LIMITED
- Signed
- 22 Dec 2023
- Value
- £21,800,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids · 1 electronic | 0 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Royal Courts Of JusticeReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- ATOMWIDE LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.