Interim Managed Service Provider

Location

Description

The requirement is for a direct award for the provision of expert Microsoft support services. This includes proactively managing Entra ID, Conditional Access policie, and MFA to strengthen endpoint security and mitigate cyber risks. The existing service gap necessitates expert, multi-tiered support to reduce the internal IT burden and ensure faster resolution of technical incidents and user access issues. Procuring a third-party Microsoft Gold Partner to manage backup services moves the GPA to a secure future state, further data retention as well as ransomware protection. Sustained support for Azure Virtual Desktop centralises IT administration, ensuring a secure, scalable digital workplace. Standard procurement processes can cause delays for emerging business needs; the Professional Services Retainer fills this gap by allowing immediate access to engineers for urgent projects and will only be used if required. This arrangement serves as an interim solution while the GPA develops its wider strategic Microsoft implementation and managed service partner strategy

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• None found

Legal Justification

Direct award justified via Procurement Act 2023:Section 41 and Schedule 5, Paragraph 7 Under the Act, a contracting authority may award a contract directly if the justification for "Additional or Repeat Goods, Services or Works" is met. Specifically, the GPA relies on the following legal conditions: 7. The public contract concerns the supply of goods, services or works by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, or partial replacement of, existing goods, services or works in circumstances where- (a)a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works, and (b)the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance. The Supplier is currently engaged in a provision of a managed service that utilises both the supplier's knowledge and experience and associated system development, governance and compliance services within their resource pool. To change suppliers at this point would be detrimental to the service provision , and will require significant re-work of processes and service approaches, causing an increase in technical debt, cost increases and time delays. This arrangement is acting as an interim solution while GPA develops it's wider Microsoft strategy, which will include an appointed strategic implementation and managed service partner. Offboarding the current supplier and onboarding a new supplier now to perform the same task for a limited period, before transitioning again under the future strategy will create serious disruption and further increase cost and risk. On that basis it's suggested that the conditions in paragraph 7 are met.

Other Information

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