Provision of Smartcard Printer Maintenance & Bureau Services

To ensure continuity of this business critical requirement, we are proposing a 1 +1 year Direct Award, the term of the proposed agreement has been designed to enable sufficient time for SWRL to align with future GBR smartcard strategy. The base 1 year contract value would fall below threshold; however, to mitigate the risk of delays to the GBR solution, and avoid potential further disaggregation, a 1‑year optional extension has been included. If exercised, this extension would push the total contract value above threshold.

Therefore, above‑threshold Direct Award approval is requested in this paper. The Procurement risk is deemed low, as Euclid is the recognised OEM of the existing printers, an RDG framework supplier for smartcard bureau services and as the GBR position is currently unknown, a tender process is not viable to deliver a most advantageous tender (MAT) under PA23. During the Initial Term of the Direct Award period SWR will engage with DfTO to understand the Fares and Retailing strategy to ensure SWRL alignment and inform the decision to action the 1 year option embedded into this Direct Award approval request.