Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2021-06-08
Buyer: Petroleumstilsynet
Country: NO
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Contract award without prior publication
CPV classification: 72253200: Computer systems support services | 72261000: Software support services | 72514000: Computer facilities management services
Estimated value: 8000000 NOK

Technical requirements: This prior information notice concerns extension of the existing contract, for IT operational contract and user support, with Cegal AS for 18 months.
The contract includes the combined IT operating environment at Petroleumstilsynet (the Petroleum Safety Authority) in Stavanger. The operating environment is located in the supplier's premises.
The contract includes the combined IT operating environment at Petroleumstilsynet (the Petroleum Safety Authority) in Stavanger. Deliveries included are:
In connection with the Corona pandemic and subsequent requirements and recommendations for home offices for the majority of employees from 12 March 2020, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has had to re-prioritize its IT resources. It has been urgent to put in place new collaboration solutions, video conferencing equipment and training so that the Authority can carry out its social mission. The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway performs inspections of safety and emergency preparedness in the petroleum industry, and it has therefore been important to establish secure stable solutions that make this work from both internal meeting rooms and in combination with home offices.
The emergency preparedness solution we had for IT was not dimensioned for such a rapid and comprehensive change as we were exposed to on the 12th of March last year when all employees had to work from home and inspection activities could not be carried out during physical meetings/trips. It has been, and is, a demanding time with great challenges when it comes to delivering hardware and other relevant IT equipment that is needed so that our IT tools function satisfactorily. We have experienced that our suppliers and collaborating partners have had a challenging and difficult period, which results in them having problems with delivering to us as in a normal situation. This has led to further delays in our work.
The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has a small IT department and in the Corona situation it has been necessary to prioritise safe and stable operation under the changes framework terms ahead of development of a new supply model for operation and announcement of new contracts.
A new delivery model is dependent on development work and transferring of central systems to cloud-based technology. The content in the new operational contract/operating model will be very different to what we have today. It is primarily this work that is delayed in relation to the Corona situation. Due to these conditions and in order to have a thorough preparation for a new procurement, we must extend the existing contract for 18 months. It is our assessment that we have been delayed approx. 18 months in this work. We have considered consultancy assistance to accelerate this work as well as to assist us with the announcement of a new contract, but such work requires in-depth knowledge of our systems and our IT architecture and thus also full involvement from permanent employees. This measure will therefore not free up the necessary internal capacity. The different services and deliveries in the current contract are closely connected and cannot be divided into separate contracts.
We therefore announce that we will extend the existing seven year contract on the applicable terms. The contract with out operations supplier Cegal AS is extended for 18 months. The cost of the extension will amount to approx. 20 % of the estimated contract value over 7 years.


Winner: Cegal AS
Award value: 8000000