Corporate Mobile Phones – Mobile Voice & Data

REPORT TO: the Corporate Director Strategic Resources, Gary Fielding

DECISION DATE: 24^th September 2021

SUPPORTING ANNEX: N/A

PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Authority award the contract for Corporate Mobile Phones (Mobile Voice & Data) to Virgin Media Business, following the conclusion of an RFI (request for information) process through Crown Commercial Services Framework RM3808 Lot 6 allowing the option to Direct Award.  

BACKGROUND TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION

This is a re-procurement of an existing provision with VMB.  The current agreement covers the main telephony components as well as mobile voice and data, and although the main contract expires 15/04/2022, the mobile voice and data element of the agreement will expire 31st October 2021.

The current agreement with VMB provides NYCC with access to the EE mobile network for the following:

•           mobile voice and data services for, as a minimum, the ability to make and receive voice calls, to send and receive SMS (short message service), the provision of voicemail services, provision of mobile data connectivity, mobile email services (push and pull), mobile data applications and value added mobile services.

•           mobile voice and data connectivity to be provided by transmission through:

o GSM (Global System for Mobile);

o GPRS (General Packet Radio Service);

o UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System);

o HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data);

o 2.5G, 3G, 4G, HSDPSA as well as emerging mobile transmission technologies by agreement.

•           APN and VPN connectivity options for preferential routing of land to mobile voice calls and secure remote data access and transmission.

• device agnostic, data applications such as push e-mail;

• other mobile voice and data services such as lone worker protection, machine to machine data, virtual private assistant and vehicle tracking and other services as EE may offer from time to time.

The aims & objectives of this procurement are to ensure that we are still receiving the best value and service for NYCC. 

The decision to proceed with a Direct Award became clear after a desktop evaluation of all the relevant service offers that we reviewed following an RFI process through CCS Framework RM3808 Lot 6. There were a number of offers that would have been suitable and met our requirements. VMB’s offer was both good value for money (and better value than previous contract), with the added benefit of no cost of change and no risk associated with a change in mobile operator in terms of reduced mobile coverage.

The benefits of this approach are that it is a compliant route to market that is less timing consuming than a further competition process but which still allows us to benefit from improved rates and no disruption to existing service.

LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE COMPLIANCE

As per the Council’s Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules, Rule 11 states;

11.1    Tenders for Contracts which exceed the UK Procurement Threshold shall be invited and awarded in accordance with the PCRs.

As per Rule 16.3, a Director does not need to invite Above Threshold Tenders in accordance with Rule 11 and 12, in the following circumstances:

a) purchases via Framework Agreements which have been established either by the Council or by other public sector bodies or consortia (including, but not limited to PSBO’s) and where such Framework Agreements are lawfully accessible to the Council.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Authority award the contract for Corporate Mobile Phones (Mobile Voice & Data) to Virgin Media Business, following the conclusion of an RFI process through CCS Framework RM3808 Lot 6 allowing the option to Direct Award.