Purpose

To appoint a supplier to re-sell Microsoft
licensing and related services to the Council.

Decision

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION
 

Decision Title

Microsoft Licensing Reseller

Date of Decision:

23rd May 2023

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Luke Sayers; Assistant Director of Customer,
Information and Digital Services (CIDS)

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

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.

Brief Description of Decision:

To make a direct award and appoint Softcat PLC as
the reseller of Microsoft licences and associated services to the
Council, as detailed within the procurement business
case.

Reasons for the Decision:

Following evaluation of the procurement options
against the Council’s requirements, the Council used
the Kent Commercial Services (KCS) Software
Products & Associated Services 2 Framework (Y20011)
to undertake this procurement exercise, in
accordance with the Council’s FPPR’s. This framework allows for a direct
award.

 

Details of alternative options considered and
rejected:

The following procurement options were appraised as
set-out in the procurement business case and rejected for the given
reasons:

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

·    
Direct award – Health trust Europe
(HtE) Information Communication
Technology (ICT) Solutions Framework (ComIT2 – CompleteIT).
The Council are not able to make a clear direct
award on this framework.

·    
Further Competition – Kent County Council via
KCS Procurement Services Software Products & Associated
Services 2 Framework (Y20011). The Council are
able to make a compliant direct award via the same external
framework in the timeframe required, therefore this option was
discounted.

·    
Further Competition (Price & Quality) –
Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Technology Products &
Associated Services Framework (RM6068). The Council are able to make a compliant direct award via
another external framework namely Software Products &
Associated Services 2 Framework (Y20011) tendered and managed by
Kent County Council via KCS Procurement Services, in the timescale
required, therefore, this option was discounted.

·    
Simplified Further Competition (Price Only) –
Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Technology Products &
Associated Services Framework (RM6068). The Council cannot seek
social value offers on this procurement route.  This option was discounted.

·    
Further Competition – Yorkshire Purchasing
Organisation (YPO) Technology Hardware, Software and Services
Framework (979). The Council are able to
make a compliant direct award via another external framework namely
Software Products & Associated Services 2 Framework (Y20011)
tendered and managed by Kent County Council via KCS Procurement
Services, in the timescale required, therefore, this option was
discounted.

·    
Price on Demand – Yorkshire Purchasing
Organisation (YPO) Technology Hardware, Software and Services
Framework (979). The Council cannot seek social value offers on
this procurement route. 

·    
Direct Award – Crown Commercial Services (CCS)
G-Cloud 13 Framework (RM1557.13). The Council
cannot make a clear direct award on this framework to one (1)
Supplier. 

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive
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 has been shared with
the Decision Maker to help inform the decision to proceed with the
direct award.

The business case is solely for internal use only
and should not be published externally.

 
We certify that this
is a true record of the executive decision to appoint a Microsoft
Reseller (and associated services), to meet the Council’s
requirements.

Signed by the Decision Maker: 
 
Dated:      
26th May 2023
 
Name:        Judith
Badger         
 
Job
Title:    Strategic Director Finance &
Customer Services, S151 Officer