Decision details

Date of Decision:

10^th August 2023

Title:

Internet Firewalls Platform

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Judith Badger, Strategic Director, Finance and Customer Services

Details of Specific Cabinet Delegation

or Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

Executive functions – Procurement (c) To make decisions in relation to commissioning and procurement activity. Such activity should be carried out in accordance with the Finance and Procurement Procedure Rules.

Decision:

To appoint Insight Direct UK Ltd to provide the Council’s Internet Firewalls platform and associated services.

Reasons for the Decision:

Following evaluation of tender returns submitted as part of a further competition exercise utilising the Health Trust Europe (HtE) Information Communication Technology (ICT) Solutions (ComIT 2 – Complete IT) framework, Insight Direct UK Ltd achieved the highest score against the evaluation criteria.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

·    Above Threshold - Open Tender Process - There is a need to act quickly to enable delivery on the ground as soon as possible. As the potential value of the contract is above the threshold set out in the Procurement Contract Regulations (£189,330), the timescales associated with undertaking this type of procedure are too long and as such this option was discounted.

·    Above Threshold - Restricted Tender Process - There is a need to act quickly to enable delivery on the ground as soon as possible. As the potential value of the contract is above the threshold set out in the Procurement Contract Regulations (£189,330), the timescales associated with undertaking this type of procedure are too long and as such this option was discounted.

·    Direct Award - Crown Commercial Services (CCS) G-Cloud 13 Framework (RM1557.13) - The Council are not able to make a clear direct award on this framework due to there being hardware requirements.

·    Direct Award - Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Network Services 2 Framework (RM3808) - The Council cannot make a clear direct award on this framework to one (1) Supplier.  This option has been discounted.

·    Further Competition - Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Network Services 2 Framework (RM3808) - The Council can utilise another framework namely Health Trust Europe (HtE) ICT Solutions which offers more flexible timescales. Therefore, this option has been discounted.

·    Further Competition (Price & Quality) - Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Technology Products & Associated Services Framework (RM6068) - The Council can utilise another framework namely Health Trust Europe (HtE) ICT Solutions which offers more flexible timescales. Therefore, this option has been discounted.

·    Simplified Further Competition (Price Only) - Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Technology Products & Associated Services Framework (RM6068) - The Council cannot seek social value offers via this procurement route which is a mandatory requirement. This option has been discounted.

·    Direct Award - Kent Commercial Services (KCS) Software Products & Associated Services 2 Framework (Y20011) - The Council are not able to make a clear direct award on this framework due to it not being able to meet the requirements set out by Kent Commercial Services (KCS).

·    Further Competition - Kent Commercial Services (KCS) Software Products & Associated Services 2 Framework (Y20011) - The Council can utilise another framework namely Health Trust Europe (HtE) ICT Solutions which offers more flexible timescales. Therefore this option has been discounted.

·    Further Competition - Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) Network Connectivity and Telecommunication Solutions (976) - The Council can utilise another framework namely Health Trust Europe (HtE) ICT Solutions which offers more flexible timescales. Therefore this option has been discounted.

·    Direct Award - Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) Network Connectivity and Telecommunication Solutions (976) - The Council cannot make a clear direct award on this framework to one (1) Supplier. This option has been discounted.

·    Further Competition - Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) Technology Hardware, Software and Services Framework (979) - The Council can utilise another framework namely Health Trust Europe (HtE) ICT Solutions which offers more flexible timescales. Therefore this option has been discounted.

·    Price on Demand - Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) Technology Hardware, Software and Services Framework (979) - The Council cannot seek social value offers via this procurement route which is a mandatory requirement.  This option has been discounted.

·    Direct Award - Health Trust Europe (HtE) Information Communication Technology (ICT) Solutions (ComIT 2 - Complete IT) - The Council cannot make a clear direct award on this framework to one (1) Supplier.  This option has been discounted.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

No conflicts of interest raised

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

Reports or parts of reports considered

The procurement business case was used to determine and agree the most appropriate procurement route.

The tender evaluation report was used to share the outcome of the tender evaluation process and recommend the appointment of the preferred supplier.