Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2020-02-25
Buyer: Den norske Opera and Ballett AS
Country: NO
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Contract award without prior publication
CPV classification: 48440000 | 48450000 | 72000000
Estimated value: 6750000 NOK

Technical requirements: Υπηρεσίες τεχνολογίας των πληροφοριών: παροχή συμβουλών, ανάπτυξη λογισμικού, Διαδίκτυο και υποστήριξη
Supplementary Procurement for/Changes in a Signed Contract for Unit4 Business World (Agresso) — Den Norske Opera and Ballett
The contracting authority will make a supplementary procurement for/changes in a previously signed contract for the procurement of the business system Unit4 Business World (Agresso).
The supplementary procurement/changes consist of migration of the existing Unit4 Business World-løsning for wages to the network cloud, as well as an expansion with a finance system.
The contracting authority believes that the supplementary procurement/changes are allowed in accordance with the public procurement regulations §28-1 first section letters c and d.
For the terms in §28-1 (1) (c): the supplementary delivery is necessary: the need for a finance system is currently only partially met. Some assignments (VAT, settlement, submission of accounting data in the standard format SAF-T) must be done manually. The contracting authority entered into a contract for a new ERP system that would cover the need, but, as the contract with the supplier has been terminated due to a serious breach of contract, this will not happen in the coming years. The part of the need for a finance system that is currently met is covered by a system that is outdated and has limited support. Old technology means that any change is difficult and there is limited available competence in the system. The current finance system cannot be run on newer servers than Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows Server 2008 R2 has ‘end of support’ in January 2020, after this there will not be any security updates for the platform, which will mean an unacceptable risk and cost if we continue to use this platform.
The supplier cannot be change for technical or financial reasons, this would lead to considerable difficulties or considerable extra costs: the alternatives to start using further modules in Unit4 Business World (Agresso) are either to procure other systems with equivalent functionality that must be integrated with Agresso or to procure a complete new finance system that will also replace the modules in Agresso that DNOB currently has a contract for. Both alternative mean time-consuming procurement and implementation processes that would mean that the current finance system will not be replaced by the ‘end of support’ for the operational platform. This would mean an unacceptable technical risk. The reason for this lack of time is the situation that has occurred with the contract termination for the new ERP system. Solutions that involve the integration of different systems instead of a uniform finance system would mean inefficient work processes and an operational risk. Only Unit4 can deliver a system that is a uniform system without procuring a complete new finance system. The procurement and implementation processes for new systems to cover the need would give disproportionately large total costs for the contracting authority in relation to using further modules in Agresso. This would particularly apply if a complete new finance system is procured.
For the terms in §28-1 (1) (d): changes that are necessary due to circumstances that an attentive contracting authority could not foresee: the contracting authority entered into a contract for a new ERP system that would met the need, but as the contract with the supplier has been terminated due to a serious breach of contract, this will not happen in the coming years. This situation could not be foreseen when the contract with Unit4 was originally signed.
The general character of the procurement has not been changed: the contract's nature, the procurement and maintenance of software, will be unchanged. The new modules will be part of a uniform system and will have a close connection with functionality that is in the original contract.
For both legal grounds: the supplementary procurement/changes are meant to be temporary in order to manage an acute situation. The contracting authority has the clear intention to hold a contest for a business system within 3 years.


Winner: Unit4 AS
Award value: 6750000