Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Cardiff University
Procurement Services, McKenzie House, 30-36 Newport Road
Cardiff
CF24 0DE
UK
Contact person: Procurement Team
Telephone: +44 2920879648
E-mail: HodgkinsR@cardiff.ac.uk
NUTS: UKL
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/business/why-work-with-us/for-suppliers
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0258
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Supercomputing Wales - Software Maintenance
Reference number: CU.844.RH
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72267000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Supercomputing Wales (SCW) is a GBP20m pan-Wales programme part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Welsh Government (Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO)) to provide a state-of-the-art supercomputing and big data facility for Wales.
The programme is a collaboration between four universities, led by Cardiff University in partnership with Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth universities. Researchers at the consortium universities access two supercomputing (high-performance computing (HPC)) hubs, one at Cardiff University and one at Swansea university, via a high-speed network. The facilities allow these users to perform complex calculations which wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Expert Research Software Engineers work with researchers to develop software to utilise the facilities, simulate complex problems and enable innovative, world-class research that will lead to vital research breakthroughs.
An OJEU tender process was conducted on behalf of Supercomputing Wales by Cardiff University in 2017 to award a bespoke framework agreement to provide the technology infrastructure (hardware and software). This resulted in the identification of a main technology lead contractor with a number of authorised subcontractors to supply the research computing infrastructure and relevant support services to Supercomputing Wales. The two HPC hubs were upgraded in 2018 through this framework. Further goods and services have been purchased via the framework since 2018 by both Cardiff and Swansea universities; the majority of these expansion purchases have been funded from other research grants to allow dedicated access or functionality for specific research teams; they also add value to the original ERDF investment.
The framework agreement, of which the signatories are Cardiff University (acting on behalf of the Supercomputing Wales consortium) and a main supplier (acting on behalf of sub-contractors), came to the end of its four-year term in March 2022.
This procurement process is for the following:
New Software Maintenance and Support (M&S) agreements for existing call-off contracts/systems.
Currently there are a number of Call-off Contracts in place between SCW and the lead Contractor. Many of these call-off contracts out-live the overall framework agreement which expired in March 2022. There is therefore now a requirement for new Software Maintenance and Support agreements.
The Cardiff University M&S contract for the main Hawk system expires late September 2022, but as this procurement will likely lead to the purchase of new software, it needs to be in place for testing before that date.
The following is within scope:
Cardiff University Invitation to Tender – ITT Guidance and Instructions
4
Licenses for the multiple components of system software that, together, deliver the optimal performance of the high performance computing infrastructure on research-based workloads: “the software stack”; associated maintenance and support, which includes software updates, fixing of snags and glitches, security patches and guidance, advice and training on using the software.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
139 690.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
72267000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL22
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Supercomputing Wales (SCW) is a GBP20m pan-Wales programme part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Welsh Government (Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO)) to provide a state-of-the-art supercomputing and big data facility for Wales.
The programme is a collaboration between four universities, led by Cardiff University in partnership with Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth universities. Researchers at the consortium universities access two supercomputing (high-performance computing (HPC)) hubs, one at Cardiff University and one at Swansea university, via a high-speed network. The facilities allow these users to perform complex calculations which wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Expert Research Software Engineers work with researchers to develop software to utilise the facilities, simulate complex problems and enable innovative, world-class research that will lead to vital research breakthroughs.
An OJEU tender process was conducted on behalf of Supercomputing Wales by Cardiff University in 2017 to award a bespoke framework agreement to provide the technology infrastructure (hardware and software). This resulted in the identification of a main technology lead contractor with a number of authorised subcontractors to supply the research computing infrastructure and relevant support services to Supercomputing Wales. The two HPC hubs were upgraded in 2018 through this framework. Further goods and services have been purchased via the framework since 2018 by both Cardiff and Swansea universities; the majority of these expansion purchases have been funded from other research grants to allow dedicated access or functionality for specific research teams; they also add value to the original ERDF investment.
The framework agreement, of which the signatories are Cardiff University (acting on behalf of the Supercomputing Wales consortium) and a main supplier (acting on behalf of sub-contractors), came to the end of its four-year term in March 2022.
This procurement process is for the following:
New Software Maintenance and Support (M&S) agreements for existing call-off contracts/systems.
Currently there are a number of Call-off Contracts in place between SCW and the lead Contractor. Many of these call-off contracts out-live the overall framework agreement which expired in March 2022. There is therefore now a requirement for new Software Maintenance and Support agreements.
The Cardiff University M&S contract for the main Hawk system expires late September 2022, but as this procurement will likely lead to the purchase of new software, it needs to be in place for testing before that date.
The following is within scope:
Cardiff University Invitation to Tender – ITT Guidance and Instructions
4
Licenses for the multiple components of system software that, together, deliver the optimal performance of the high performance computing infrastructure on research-based workloads: “the software stack”; associated maintenance and support, which includes software updates, fixing of snags and glitches, security patches and guidance, advice and training on using the software.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 80
Price
/ Weighting:
20
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
Yes
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2022/S 118-334099
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: CU.844.RH
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
14/11/2022
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 2
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
OCF Limited
OCF Limited, Unit 5 Rotunda Business Centre, Thorncliffe Park Chapeltown
SHEFFIELD
S352PG
UK
Telephone: +44 1142572200
Fax: +44 1142570022
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 139 690.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(WA Ref:126638)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
Telephone: +44 2079477501
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
15/11/2022