Public procurement notice: Contract Award Notice
Published: 2016-01-26
Buyer: Norfolk County Council
Country: UK
Region: Norfolk
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Competitive dialogue
CPV classification: 32500000 | 64200000 | 64210000 | 64212000 | 72315000: Data network management and support services
Award criteria: Network services, Flexible working, Service management, Social value, Transition, project management and marketing, Call centre services and public/school wi-fi, Cost

Technical requirements: Network services
Flexible working
Service management
Social value
Transition, project management and marketing
Call centre services and public/school wi-fi
Cost
Norfolk County Council and its partners wished to replace its existing corporate voice and data network, mobile communications, calls and lines contracts, and associated value-added services. This development is expected to drive a greater move to unified communications, and also to consider the wider benefits of greater integration of communication technologies into operating processes.
Our aim is to develop and drive a step change in the provision of IT-enabled services. The requirement was stated in terms of the services required and was generally neutral as to how the services are delivered.
Connectivity requirements (fixed and mobile, voice and data) were procured together with a single provider taking responsibility for all services. This is a significant contract and the council wished to obtain commensurate social and economic benefits for the people of Norfolk.
The framework agreement is for a period of 4 years. The Council may at its discretion extend the framework agreement beyond this by up to 4 years. However after the first 4 years, no new order may be placed except by an organisation which has previously ordered services under the framework.
There will be an initial order on behalf of Norfolk County Council. Norfolk County Council and any company or other entity controlled by it may use the services provided under that and any subsequent order for the Council's benefit and to provide services to other public bodies and to other third parties, varying or increasing the order (within the scope of the call-off contract terms) as necessary to achieve this. The Council's initial order under the framework will be for 4 years, with the service provision period under the order being extensible to 8 years.
In addition, other public bodies may order services under the framework agreement with the consent of the Council, as follows:
1) Any contracting authority operating in the geographical county of Norfolk or in any adjoining county may order any service under the framework;
Norfolk County Council incorporated a standstill period at the point information on the proposed award of the contract was communicated to tenderers. That notification provided full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which was for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provided time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).


Winner: Great Yarmouth Borough Council, schools including community, voluntary controlled, voluntary aided, foundation, academy and free schools, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk District Council, Breckland District Council and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Number of bids: 2