Highland Council invites tenders for ICT Core Services

2nd July 2015

The Highland Council has published its notice to tender for ICT Core Services on Public Contracts Scotland website.

The scope of the ICT Core Services to be sourced under this procurement are broadly defined as ‘providing managed technology infrastructure, application systems and desktop services required for the delivery of the Authority's business including educational ICT and online Public Access Services'.

Members of The Highland Council's Resources Committee on 27 May agreed to a procurement approach to replace the Current Fujitsu contract. The current contract comes to an end in Sep 2016 at which point the Council will be putting new contractual arrangements in place. The council had previously agreed that it would not continue with a single large out-sourced contract and is looking to work with a number of suppliers to provide ICT Services to the Council.

The council's annual budget for this contract has been published at no more than £8.65million. The contract duration of 5 years has the potential to extend for up to two years.

Chair of Resources Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie said: "The council has looked long and hard at how it provides its ICT services and an outline business case was agreed in April 2013 which agreed that in future the council wanted to work with a number of suppliers to provide a range of ICT Services. We are particularly keen to make some of these contracts more accessible to small and medium sized enterprises.

"We were encouraged by the response we had to our industry day. Having access to modern technology is vital to the delivery of public services across the Highlands and our intention through this procurement is to find the very best companies to work with us into the future."

In addition to the Core Services Contract the Council will be undertaking other smaller procurements for:
• computers, laptops, tablets,
• Managed Printing services; and
• locally managed ICT devices for schools.

The Council currently provides ICT services delivered as part of its current contract to a number of other public bodies such as third party customers including High Life Highland and the Assessor’s Office.

The Council recently held an industry day in Inverness intended to promote the forthcoming contract to which potential bidders from across Scotland and the UK were invited to attend.

Bidders have until 3 August 2015 to submit their Pre-Qualification questionnaire for the Core Services contract.

Full details of the contract notice are available on the Public Contracts Scotland Website at: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL213205