Purpose

Commencement of a Procurement Exercise for
Unified Communications

Decision

 
 For the reasons
set out in this report, the Corporate Director has decided to:
 
1) Approve the commencement of a competitive
tender exercise for the procurement of a combined contract for
Corporate, Mobile and Contact Centre Telephony for an initial
duration of up to five years, with a potential option to extend the
contract by a further four years with a total estimated value
including both operational revenue and one off capital costs of up
to £5.9 million, should the full nine-year contract term be
required and awarded.

Alternative options considered

 
3.1 “Do nothing” - Seek extensions
or waivers to the existing corporate, mobile and Contact Centre
contracts to maintain current services. This option could be
exercised as an interim measure for all existing contracts to
afford the Council the required time to thoroughly explore the
market for a suitable solution and enable the co-terming of these
contracts. However, this would be unsustainable in the long term as
none of the service improvements or outcomes would be realised and
it would not be compliant with the Council standing orders.
 
3.2 Run independent procurement tenders for
Corporate, mobile and Contact Centre Telephony provision –
this would maintain the existing user experience and technology
infrastructure, with distinct separation between the communication
solutions and would not deliver the service improvements or
outcomes sought.