Managed Services for Existing Cloud Environment

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 Central Statistics Office (CSO) seeks managed services for its existing cloud environment. The contract covers the operation, maintenance, security, optimisation, and support of this environment. The scale of the services is indicated by an estimated contract value of €10,000,000 (excl. VAT) over an initial three-year term, with potential extensions.

The scope of work includes:

• Operational Support: Day-to-day management and support of the cloud infrastructure.
• Monitoring: Continuous oversight of the cloud environment's performance and health.
• Security Management: Implementing and maintaining security measures to protect the cloud environment.
• Cost Optimisation: Identifying and implementing strategies to reduce cloud expenditure.
• Reporting: Providing regular reports on the cloud environment's status, performance, and costs.
• Governance: Ensuring adherence to established policies and standards within the cloud environment.
• Exit Support: Providing assistance for the transition or termination of services.
• Project-Based Activities: Supporting CSO's application teams with the implementation and provisioning of new or amended workloads within the existing cloud environment. This includes ongoing support for these new or amended workloads.
• Statement of Work (SoW): The Contracting Authority may issue Statements of Work for separately scoped activities, such as service uplifts or additional operational support, to be managed under the main Services Agreement.

The successful tenderer will be designated as the "Service Provider" and will enter into a Services Agreement with the CSO. The Tender Response Document (TRD) is the primary vehicle for bidders to address all requirements.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to secure managed services for its existing cloud environment. The CSO is the Contracting Authority for this tender. The estimated total expenditure for these services is approximately €10,000,000 (excl. VAT) over the initial contract term and any potential extensions. The contract duration is set for an initial three years, with the possibility of two 12-month extensions, not exceeding five years in aggregate. This extended term is justified by the non-standard nature of the required services and the potential disruption associated with acquiring, implementing, and transitioning to new managed services. The CSO aims to encourage participation from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and encourages larger enterprises to include SMEs in their proposals.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered compliant:

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must demonstrate an average annual turnover of €3,000,000 over each of the last three financial years. This can be met on a solo or cumulative basis.
• Insurance: The successful Tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Services Agreement:
• Employer’s Liability: €13,000,000 limit for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence.
• Public Liability: €6,500,000 limit for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence.
• Professional Indemnity: €2,000,000 for each and every claim, excluding defence costs. This must be maintained for at least six years from the expiration or termination of the Agreement.
• Cyber Liability: €1,000,000 for each and every claim, excluding defence costs.
• Certifications: Tenderers must confirm they are ISO 27001 (information security management) approved or equivalent.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must also provide a Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification of their tax status.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria will be used to evaluate compliant tenders. The tender procedure is an open procedure. The specific weighting and scoring methodology for award criteria are not detailed in the provided extract. However, the RFT states that only tenders meeting the selection criteria will be evaluated against the award criteria. The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to accept the lowest priced tender or any tender. The evaluation process will assess tenders based on criteria detailed in Part 3 of the RFT.

The split between price and quality (MEAT - Most Economically Advantageous Tender) is not explicitly stated in the provided text.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie). Late submissions will not be accepted.

Key submission requirements include:

• Electronic Submission: Tenders must be uploaded to the 'electronic tenderbox' on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• File Size Limits: A maximum of 250MB per file, with a total limit of 2GB for all documentation.
• Tender Response Document (TRD): Tenderers must complete and submit the TRD, which is provided as a separate attachment. The TRD must address all requirements of the RFT and follow the specified structure.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD): Tenderers must complete and submit the electronic version of the ESPD.
• Tenderer's Statement: A scanned, signed copy of the Tenderer's Statement (Appendix 3) must be returned, printed on the Tenderer's letterhead.
• Pricing Schedule: All Tenderers must complete the Pricing Schedule (Appendix 2). Prices must be all-inclusive, in Euro, and exclusive of VAT.
• Declarations: Tenderers must submit declarations as required, including the ESPD and the Tenderer's Statement.
• Language: Tenders must be submitted in English.
• Format: Electronic documents must be readable using MS Word or PDF.

A mandatory site visit is not mentioned for this tender.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Services Agreement will have an initial term of three (3) years.
• Extension: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for up to two periods of 12 months each, not exceeding five years in aggregate.
• Payment Terms: Payments will be made within 30 days of invoice, in accordance with the Services Agreement (Appendix 5).
• Pricing Adjustments: Prices can only be increased or decreased on the first anniversary of the Commencement Date and subsequent anniversaries, based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index published by the CSO.
• Termination: Not specified in detail, but the Services Agreement document (Appendix 5) contains the full terms.
• IP Ownership: Not specified in detail.
• Sub-contracting: Allowed, with the Prime Contractor retaining overall responsibility. Subcontractors may need to submit an ESPD.
• Parent-Company Guarantee/Bond: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Estimated Value vs. Turnover: The estimated contract value of €10,000,000 over potentially five years, with a required annual turnover of €3,000,000, suggests a significant scale of operation. Bidders must ensure their financial capacity aligns with this.
• ISO 27001 Requirement: The mandatory ISO 27001 certification is a specific technical requirement that may limit the pool of eligible bidders.
• Professional Indemnity Duration: The requirement for Professional Indemnity insurance to be maintained for at least six years post-termination is an extended commitment that bidders must factor into their long-term planning and costings.
• Open Procedure: While an open procedure is standard, the specific requirements and evaluation criteria will determine the competitive landscape.
• No Site Visit: The absence of a mandatory site visit means bidders must rely solely on the provided documentation to assess the scope and requirements.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured as an open procedure, indicating it is intended to be accessible to a broad range of qualified bidders. The requirement for ISO 27001 certification and specific insurance levels (€13m Employer's Liability, €6.5m Public Liability, €2m Professional Indemnity, €1m Cyber Liability) suggests a need for established, experienced providers.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would likely be a medium to large IT managed services provider with demonstrated expertise in cloud environments, robust security practices (evidenced by ISO 27001), and the financial capacity to meet the turnover and insurance requirements. Smaller, specialised firms might be able to bid as part of a consortium.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Consortiums and sub-contracting are permitted. This allows SMEs to participate by partnering with larger entities or by forming groups with other SMEs to meet the requirements collectively.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Given the detailed RFT, TRD, ESPD, and specific appendices (Pricing Schedule, Tenderer's Statement, Declarations), bid preparation is likely to require significant effort, potentially spanning several weeks for a dedicated team, including technical, commercial, and legal input.
• Pwin Signal: The tender does not explicitly mention an incumbent. The open procedure and clear selection criteria suggest a competitive process. The emphasis on ISO 27001 and substantial insurance levels indicates a focus on established, reliable providers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: CSO Cloud Managed Services - RFT vF1.0.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Services Agreement