Provision of Microsoft Teams Voice (One Teams Voice) Service

AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.

1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The National Transport Authority (NTA) procured a service for the provision of Microsoft Teams Voice (One Teams Voice) to replace or augment existing telephony infrastructure. The contract is for the supply of a unified communications solution leveraging Microsoft Teams. The estimated value of the contract is €462,000 over a 5-year term.

The scope of services includes:

• Core Service Provision: Supplying and managing Microsoft Teams Voice functionalities. This encompasses user management, number assignment, and number administration.
• User Migration: Activities related to migrating existing users to the new Teams Voice service. Specific details on the number of users or the migration process are not detailed in the provided text.
• Service Agreement: The contract is structured as a Service Agreement, incorporating the Request for Tenders (RFT), the Supplier's written submission, and agreed project costing.
• Ancillary Services: The Supplier is to provide services that are ancillary, incidental, or necessary for the core provision of the Teams Voice solution.
• Timely Delivery: The Supplier must provide the Services in a timely manner, adhering to any timeframes specified in Schedule 1 of the agreement.
• Co-operation: The Supplier is required to co-operate with Authority personnel and any third parties involved in the provision of services to ensure timely delivery.
• Directions Compliance: The Supplier must conform to directions given by the Authority regarding the provision of Services.
• Conflict of Interest Management: The Supplier must manage potential conflicts of interest and obtain prior written consent from the Authority if engaging in other business activities that could create such a conflict.
• Data Protection: The Supplier must process personal data in accordance with the Authority's instructions and the Data Protection Acts, implementing appropriate security measures and notifying the Authority of any data security breaches or subject access requests.
• Intellectual Property: All intellectual property rights arising from works or materials created specifically for the Authority by the Supplier as part of the Services will vest in the Authority. The Supplier grants the Authority a licence to use any other works or materials supplied.

3. Background & buyer context

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is a statutory corporation established under Irish law. Its remit relates to the Dublin Transport Authority Act, 2008, and the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. This procurement is driven by the Authority's requirement for a modern unified communications solution, specifically Microsoft Teams Voice, to support its operations. The need for this service indicates a strategic move towards digital transformation and enhanced communication capabilities within the organisation. The contract is for a 5-year duration, suggesting a long-term commitment to this technology platform.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

The provided text focuses on the contract terms and conditions rather than the specific tender submission requirements for eligibility and selection. Therefore, detailed criteria such as minimum turnover, insurance levels, certifications, past experience, or personnel qualifications are not explicitly stated within the contract document itself.

However, general contractual obligations imply certain supplier capabilities:

• Business Capability: The Supplier must be in the business of providing services of the type contemplated by the Agreement and possess the necessary skill, knowledge, expertise, and experience in the supply of such Services.
• Insurance: The Supplier must ensure it has adequate insurance in place to cover potential liabilities. This includes public liability insurance with an adequate limit, and the Supplier must furnish proof of policies and premium payments upon request. Specific monetary values for insurance types are not detailed.
• Tax Clearance: The Supplier must provide a current tax clearance certificate or statement from the Revenue Commissioners of Ireland upon request to be eligible for payment.
• Personnel Quality: The Supplier warrants that the Services will be provided by appropriately experienced, qualified, and trained personnel.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The provided contract document does not detail the award criteria or scoring methodology used for evaluating tender submissions. It outlines the terms of the agreement post-award. Therefore, information regarding the weighting of price versus quality, specific sub-criteria, or minimum scoring thresholds is not available in this extract.

6. Submission requirements

The provided contract document does not specify the detailed submission requirements for bidders. It focuses on the terms of the agreement once a supplier has been selected. Therefore, information regarding mandatory templates, page limits for responses, CV requirements, pricing schedule formats, case study numbers, or specific declarations (e.g., ESPD, Bona Fides) is not present. Similarly, details on mandatory site visits or the specific submission portal and format rules are not included in this extract.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Term: The Agreement commences on the date of execution and continues for a period of 5 years, subject to earlier termination.
• Payment Terms: Payments are made on foot of invoices for completed and approved work. Payments are processed on a net monthly account basis, made on the last business day of the month following the invoice date, provided invoices are valid, undisputed, and correctly addressed. Professional Services Withholding Tax (PSWT) may be deducted at source.
• Price Adjustment: Fees are fixed for the first two years. After the second anniversary, fees are adjusted annually based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Central Statistics Office.
• Assignment/Sub-contracting: The Supplier is prohibited from transferring or assigning rights/obligations without prior written consent. Sub-contracting any element of the Services also requires prior written consent, which may be withheld at the Authority's discretion. The Supplier remains primarily liable for sub-contractor performance.
• Confidentiality: The Supplier must not divulge confidential information concerning the Authority's business, finances, or affairs.
• Intellectual Property: All Intellectual Property Rights in materials created specifically for the Authority by the Supplier will vest in the Authority. The Supplier grants the Authority a worldwide, non-exclusive, perpetual licence to use other supplied works. The Supplier must deliver all materials upon completion or termination.
• Liability: Each party's liability for claims (contract, tort, negligence) is capped at 200% of sums paid and payable under the Agreement for any event or series of connected events. Special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages are excluded.
• Termination: The Authority may terminate immediately for material breach, supplier insolvency, conduct bringing the Authority into disrepute, cessation of Authority funding, or unsatisfactory performance. Termination can also occur if the agreement requires a new procurement procedure or if the supplier should have been excluded.
• Indemnity: The Supplier indemnifies the Authority against IP infringement claims and employee liabilities arising from death or personal injury, except where caused by the Authority's negligence.
• Dispute Resolution: Parties will attempt amicable settlement. If unresolved within 10 working days, disputes are referred to named individuals within the Authority and Supplier. If still unresolved within a further 10 working days, mediation will be pursued via CEDR.
• Non-Exclusivity: The Authority is free to contract with other parties for similar services.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Sub-contracting Restrictions: Clause 7(a)(ii) states the Supplier "shall not otherwise subcontract out any element of the Services" without prior written consent. This is a significant restriction that could limit flexibility or the ability to leverage specialist expertise, potentially increasing risk for the supplier if they cannot perform all aspects internally.
• Termination for Funding Cessation: Clause 15(a)(iv) allows the Authority to terminate if "any funding of the Authority shall cease." This introduces external risk to the supplier, as contract continuation is dependent on the Authority's ongoing funding, which is outside the supplier's control.
• Limited Liability Cap: The liability cap of 200% of sums paid and payable (Clause 13(a)) is relatively low for a 5-year IT service contract, potentially exposing the supplier to significant risk if a major issue arises that exceeds this cap.
• Stand-Still Period: Clause 26(f) imposes a 6-month stand-still period before contract expiry or termination, restricting the Supplier's ability to amend employment terms or adjust staffing levels for employees working on the contract. This could create operational inflexibility for the supplier.
• No Explicit Price/Quality Split: The absence of defined award criteria and scoring in the contract document suggests that the RFT itself (not provided) would contain these crucial details. Without them, it's difficult to assess the true award mechanism.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely suitable for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with demonstrated expertise in Microsoft Teams Voice solutions and unified communications. The estimated value of €462,000 over 5 years (€92,400 per year) is within the range typically manageable by SMEs.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would be a company specialising in Microsoft 365 services, particularly Teams telephony, with experience in migrating organisations to cloud-based voice solutions. They would need robust internal processes for user management, number porting, and technical support.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: While the contract generally prohibits sub-contracting without consent (Clause 7), the RFT documents would clarify if consortium bids are permitted. If sub-contracting is allowed for specific elements, SMEs could partner to meet requirements.
• Bid-Prep Effort: Without the RFT and submission templates, estimating bid-prep effort is difficult. However, for a service of this nature, it could range from 10-20 days of effort for a focused team, depending on the complexity of the required response and any mandatory site visits or presentations.
• Pwin Signal: The tender does not explicitly mention an incumbent. The value and scope suggest it is open to competitive bidding. The primary Pwin signal would be the supplier's proven track record with Microsoft Teams Voice implementations for public sector or similar organisations, and their ability to articulate a clear, cost-effective migration and service delivery plan.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: [4. Small Contract for Services - OTV.pdf]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided document.
• Contact/Clarification Portal: Not specified in the provided document.
• Key Attachments:
• Provision of Microsoft Teams Voice (One Teams Voice) Services Agreement (the main contract document)
• Request for Tenders – Microsoft Teams Voice (One Teams Voice) Service (referred to as "Tender Brief")
• Supplier's written submission (referred to as "Submission")
• Schedule 1 (details of Services and timeframes, if any)
• Schedule 2 (pricing and payment terms)