Clarifications: Defra Cloud Centre of Excellence - Cloud Infrastructure Engineering and M365 Administration Support
Questions and Clarifications
Below is a list of the 19 questions and clarifications relating to this opportunity.
1. Please could you let us know who the incumbent supplier(s) are?
The current incumbent is Eviden
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
2. Are there mechanisms in place to ensure the incumbent doesn't have any advantage over bidders to ensure fair competition practices?
Although it is difficult to completing prevent incumbent advantage, this is something that we considered during our strategy phase and have implement two approaches. An ethical wall agreement has been put in place to make sure that the incumbent doesn't have any advantages over others bidders and to ensure fair competition. To make sure specifically not to call out the costs during the transition period.
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
3. Is there an indicative budget?
The budget for this opportunity will not be disclosed. The key reason is to encourage competitive pricing which will be based on bidders cost efficiencies and capabilities.
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
4. Can you please confirm the budget for this opportunity?
The budget for this opportunity will not be disclosed. The key reason is to encourage competitive pricing which will be based on bidders cost efficiencies and capabilities.
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
5. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The date when the Stage 1 shortlisted suppliers will be notified
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the timeline for when Stage 1 shortlisted suppliers will be notified will be by Friday 28th June 2024.
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
6. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The date when the Stage 2 documents will be published to the shortlisted suppliers
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the timeline for when Stage 2 documents will be published to the shortlisted suppliers will be by Monday 1st July 2024.
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
7. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The deadline for Stage 2 supplier CQs
The deadline for Stage 2 supplier CQs will be by Friday 5th July.
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
8. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The deadline for the Authority's commitment to provide all Stage 2 CQ responses
The deadline for the Authority's commitment to provide all Stage 2 CQ responses will be by Monday 8th July 2024 - 17:00
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
9. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The suppliers' deadline for submission of Stage 2 proposals
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the suppliers' deadline for submission of Stage 2 proposals will be by Friday 12th July 2024
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
10. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The date for supplier presentations.
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the date for supplier presentations is planned between Wednesday 23rd to Friday 26th July
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
11. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The award date for the preferred supplier
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the award date for the preferred supplier will be Friday 9th August 2024
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
12. The Procurement timeline provided appears to have some errors. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The date when the standstill period is completed
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the date when the standstill period is completed will be Friday 19th August
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
13. The Procurement timeline provided appears to have some errors. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The date for contract signature
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the date for the contract signature is by Friday 30th August 2024
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
14. The Procurement timeline provided appears to have some errors. Could the Authority kindly clarify the timeline, specifically: The contract start date
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed, the contract start date is 1st September 2024
Last Updated : 29/05/2024
15. How will the authority manage transition costs associated with this tender to ensure it's a fair procurement and does not favour the incumbent?
As the Authority will consider every supplier's whole life costs, transition costs specifically will be part of the overall costs and therefore this offers an opportunity for other suppliers to balance their costs accordingly to offer a competitive whole life cost.
Last Updated : 31/05/2024
16. The documentation refers to a market engagement event to which ten suppliers were invited. Is the Authority open to publishing the details of attendees and for suppliers not invited to potentially partner with those that were?
The following ten companies attended the market engagement event: Aker Systems Aspire Technology Solutions Capgemini Eviden IBM Kainos Keep It Simple Made Tech Red Cortex Version 1 As this was only a market research engagement we had no intention to exclude any suppliers on the lot either tendering in their own right or in collaboration with others.
Last Updated : 31/05/2024
17. Question3 is not too clear on what is meant by 'products'. In this instance, does it refer to: Products such as those developed by a CCOE in a catalogue IE logging, monitoring, DB clusters, Or Products developed by delivery teams e.g. Java services Or Actual cloud products, IE vendor products
A product is defined as a foundation services (internally developed or 3rd party provided) and patterns that are supported by the CCOE used in the building of the infrastructure supporting any digital service. We do not support the application or its components above the infrastructure layer
Last Updated : 31/05/2024
18. There was a market engagement event held on 3rd April 2024 with the top 10 suppliers from the previous procurement invite' - could we please have the name of these ten suppliers to allow for partnership opportunities?
The following ten companies attended the market engagement event: Aker Systems, Aspire Technology Solutions, Capgemini, Eviden, IBM, Kainos, Keep It Simple, Made Tech, Red Cortex, and Version 1
Last Updated : 31/05/2024
19. The timeline currently allows 1 working day to complete Stage 2 responses. Could you please clarify if this is intended to be the case?
Due to some technical issues which are currently being addressed in regard to the timelines - 10 working days have been allocated to complete stage 2 and the deadline for submissions for stage 2 proposals will be by Friday 12th July 2024
Last Updated : 31/05/2024