Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2025-05-19
Buyer: Utenriksdepartementet
Country: NO
Region: NO081
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 72000000 | 72200000 | 72220000: Systems and technical consultancy services
Estimated value: 4000000 NOK
Submission deadline: 2032-05-26

Technical requirements: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Foreign Ministry), c/o the Division for UN Policy, intends to enter into a contract with Diplotools LLC for the procurement of a specialised system for handling voice changes and associated functions in the United Nations and its underlying bodies.

The aim of the procurement is to establish a comprehensive and user-friendly tool that provides an overview of Norway's multilateral candidacy, voting and history, as well as obligations and positions held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over time. The system shall facilitate efficient information sharing with foreign stations and other ministries, as well as enable structured, traceable and secure communication with other countries. 

The purpose is to strengthen the Directorate's ability to ensure support in elections where Norway run as a candidate, reduce the risk of errors and mix-ups in voting processes, protect their reputation, improve response time and generally promote Norwegian interests in multilateral forums.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assessed it as necessary to upgrade the existing election database, including migration of historical data to a new platform. Previous attempts at internal development of a voting system have proved to be both more expensive and less user-friendly compared to ready-developed systems. The need is acute, as the existing system contains errors that cannot be corrected and that negatively affect THE AGENCY's election work. A new system must be operative by 2025 to support the UN Section's further work.

In 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried out an open competition in accordance with the procurement regulations part I, with an estimated value of maximum NOK 1.49 million. Several tenderers were invited, but only Diplotools LCC chose to submit a tender. This confirmed ureter ́s original assessment that there is currently only one tenderer who can offer a developed and market mature system for this purpose.
Market dialogue and analyses have shown that there are actors who can potentially develop an equivalent system as tailoring. However, only Diplotools LCC has a ready product that fulfils UD ́s needs within the required timeframe. Developed by former UN diplomats and election associates, Diplotools LCC has already adopted it by several UN members. Specifically tailored to the work with multilateral choices, the solution offers features such as report and note generators, campaign tools, map viewing, chat functionality and flexible viewing on both PCs and mobiles.

The Norwegian Directorate of Foreign Affairs has a strong desire and need to procure off the shelf and considers Diplotools LCC as the only available system that fulfils the requirements and that can deliver the service on time.

The annual estimated value of the contract is approx. Although the value itself does not indicate the use of the sole supplier exception, the combination of degree of specialisation, functionality and time pressure is considered as a sufficient basis for utilising intention notice rather than competition in accordance with the procurement regulation part III. 

The planned agreement will be valid for only three (3) years from the delivery date. It will then be renewed automatically for one (1) year at a time, unless 3 (3) months notice is given by the customer before the renewal date. The maximum contract length is eight (8) years.

As an account of the above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not aware that there are several tenderers who can provide the services they need. If there are objections to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs c/o the Section for UN policy ́s intention to enter into agreement with Diplotools LCC, notice must be given within 10 days of the publication of this intention notice.