Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2019-03-05
Buyer: Aspire Housing Limited
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 72000000
Estimated value: 1900000 GBP

Technical requirements: Υπηρεσίες τεχνολογίας των πληροφοριών: παροχή συμβουλών, ανάπτυξη λογισμικού, Διαδίκτυο και υποστήριξη
The Contract is for the provision of housing management software. The software being provided is a Housing Management System (HMS). The key elements of the software being purchased are:
The Contract will last for an initial period of 5 years. Following this initial period, the term of the Contract will automatically extend for 12 months on each subsequent anniversary of the commencement date unless either party gives notice to terminate the Contract.
The Contract is to be awarded to Orchard Information Systems Limited (Orchard) pursuant to Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Orchard is Aspire's current provider of Housing Management System (HMS) software. For the reasons set out below, Aspire believes that the Contract can only be awarded to Orchard because competition is absent for technical reasons, and no reasonable alternative exists.
Based on advice received from independent ICT consultants, Aspire believes that the solution offered by Orchard for the replacement of Aspire's HMS system represents the least cost and least risk to Aspire, and delivers all the core housing management functionality required by Aspire, including support of its “People First” transformation programme and the deployment of digital capabilities for both staff and customers. Orchard are already well embedded in the business and Aspire have a well established and effective relationship with Orchard. Under Orchard's solution there will be no need for data migration. Aspire's staff are already familiar with use of the system. There will also be minimal disruption to the operational business.
If Aspire were to replace the current Orchard system with an alternate HMS from a different supplier there would be a need to run two systems concurrently for a minimum of 2 years. This would carry a larger resource requirement. The time scales would be extended if an alternate HMS was purchased. The specification, development and procurement stage would likely take circa 8 months with the implementation taking an additional 18-30 months for full implementation. This would delay the realisation of the benefits needed to support Aspire’s People First programme. By comparison it is anticipated that the purchase of the new Orchard solution can be implemented within 2 years. Aspire has also considered an Enterprise Resource Planning solution instead of purchase of a new HMS. This would effectively replace not only the housing management functions but all the other software packages used across the business into a single solution which essentially supports all the back office functionality within the business. However, at this point in time this type of solution is very much within its infancy in the sector, and the costs associated with it are uncertain. Aspire has also considered building a new system in-house, but this would represent a significant cost increase and would present serious challenges moving forward. Accordingly, Aspire does not consider that any of these alternate solutions constitute a reasonable alternative to Orchard's proposed solution.
The Contracting Authority intends to enter into this contract following a minimum 10 day calendar day standstill period starting on the day after this notice is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) (as amended) (the Regulations) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or who are at risk of harm by a breach of the Regulations to bring proceedings in the High Court. Any such proceedings must be brought within the limitation period specified by the Regulations according to the remedy sought.


Winner: Orchard Information Systems Limited
Award value: 1900000