Official UK procurement notice
Microsoft Unified Support Contract
Authority: Northern Ireland Assembly
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionService support for our Microsoft software environment.
CPV: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Provide IS Office technical staff with expert advice and assistance in the support of…
Provide IS Office technical staff with expert advice and assistance in the support of both existing and new Microsoft software products and the ability to request immediate escalation of urgent issues on standard applications with no constraints on the time required. This includes all new applications in-flight, such as Microsoft Defender. The IS Office would have as-needed 24/7 support from Microsoft, supporting the team in a timely manner, improving the overall service.
Provide the IS Office time with Microsoft to facilitate additional projects, as required, to ensure the Assembly Commission meets the needs of end users at a pace more aligned to how technology develops. This time will support the creation of a new modern environment that accommodates increased security, modern remote working, future proofing services and an all-round better end user experience. A number of hours have been proposed to advise on projects over the next three years such as the implementation of Microsoft Defender (antivirus), Microsoft Intune (to support mobile device management), migration of on-premise email to M365 (Cloud email), the support of a remote access solution, support with potentially upgrading the Hyper V Firmware, or alternative, support migrating services to the cloud, where applicable and providing support to the Assembly Commission on modernising the workplace, through additional use of the Microsoft technology stack such as SharePoint online and additional use of Teams. This time will also ensure the team
receives the necessary training to support the products in use and
strategic approach to the technology available. Microsoft provides such support hours in blocks as it provides value for money across economies of scale.
Unified Enterprise Support with unlimited reactive hours and approximately 100 proactive hours (to support products already in use), with an additional 300 proactive support hours to support the implementation of new products.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 27 Jun 2023, 12:20 BST
- Last source update
- 27 Jun 2023, 12:20 BST
- Authority reference
BR-064-2023- FTS notice number
2023/S 000-018227- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
- Published justification
The Procurement and IS Offices have discussed this requirement in detail. After conducting enquiries, it is very clear that the services which the IS Office wish to purchase are exclusive to Microsoft. They are not offered for resale by any other supplier. There are no other known suppliers who can even offer a similar level of service.
Microsoft are the only company who can provide this service and as such, there remains only one option to procure this renewal and that is through a negotiated procedure without prior publication - a direct award.
This is provided for in the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 - specifically under regulation 32(b)(ii). This allows for contracts to be awarded without competition in circumstances where competition is absent for technical reasons. In this case, the Microsoft unified support renewal is exclusive to Microsoft and cannot be purchased from another provider.
Publisher note: The Procurement and IS Offices have discussed this requirement in detail. After conducting enquiries, it is very clear that the services which the IS Office wish to purchase are exclusive to Microsoft. They are not offered for resale by any other supplier. There are no other known suppliers who can even offer a similar level of service. Microsoft are the only company who can provide this service and as such, there remains only one option to procure this renewal and that is through a negotiated procedure without prior publication - a direct award. This is provided for in the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 - specifically under regulation 32(b)(ii). This allows for contracts to be awarded without competition in circumstances where competition is absent for technical reasons. In this case, the Microsoft unified support renewal is exclusive to Microsoft and cannot be purchased from another provider.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Ltd | £231,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 018227-2023-1 · Microsoft Ltd
- Signed
- 23 Jun 2023
- Value
- £231,000
- Status
- active
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- N/AReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- MicrosoftAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.