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Summary

OCID:: ocds-h6vhtk-0489b2
Published by:: The Coal Authority
Authority ID:: AA20278
Publication date:: 11 August 2024
Deadline date:: -
Notice type:: Prior Information Notice
Has documents:: No
Has SPD:: No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:: N/A

Abstract

The Coal Authority (the "Authority") is looking to engage a strategic supplier to provide Network Operations Centre (NOC) and Security Operations Centre (SOC) contract for which the procurement is expected to begin in early 2025.

This notice is provided to advertise and seek responses to a series of market engagement opportunities that will in turn provide further detail and inform the planned procurement and help shape the requirements.

Full notice text

Prior information notice

This notice is for prior information only

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1) Name and addresses

The Coal Authority

200 Lichfield Lane

MANSFIELD

NG184RG

Contact person: Procurement

E-mail: procurement@coal.gov.uk

NUTS: UKF15

Internet address(es)

Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-coalauthority

I.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:

https://inbye.coal.gov.uk/s2c/

Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address

I.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

I.5) Main activity

Public order and safety

Section II: Object

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title

Network Operations Centre (NOC) and Security Operations Centre (SOC)

II.1.2) Main CPV code

72000000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UKF1

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

The aim of this procurement exercise is to let a contract and find a strategic long-term partner to work / collaborate with our internal digital team and business and to wholly provide support, maintain and develop our network and associated security environment as well as supporting associated project development.

The types of work we expect to be undertaken during the contract period include;

Transition activities

• Work with incumbent supplier to undertake knowledge transfer and on-boarding of existing support activities

• Support Digital team in developing and maintaining a secure network environment for the delivery of digital services

Core activities

• The Network Operations Centre and Security Operations Centre will be required to provide 24x7x365 monitoring and reporting on critical security and network infrastructure, including managed endpoint detection and response (EDR), network cores and firewall monitoring, alerting and management. The rest of the infrastructure (and the Authority's core support hours) will be 8:00am - 6pm Monday - Friday.

• To manage, maintain, support, and develop the Authority's existing network estate ensuring it is patched and within support. Currently the estate principally comprises of CISCO infrastructure managed by a CISCO gold partner.

• Support of our wired (dot1x) and wireless infrastructure across two data centres and office locations in Mansfield (Authority HQ) and Keyworth (Authority's BCP office)

• The provider of the NOC and SOC will equally be required to support unplanned change, project and business continuity and disaster recovery exercises and response activities.

Network Operations Centre:

The Service to be procured fall into:

1. Management and reporting of core network service availability

2. Hardware and software support including CISCO registration of the Authority's licencing entitlement

3. Security vulnerability, patch and release management including out of hours support

4. Proactive Monitoring and backups

5. Service Desk / vendor support provision incl. technical support

6. Reporting and service management including product roadmap, recommendations and end of life / support notification

7. Network design services including documentation management

8. CISCO ISE management and maintenance

9. Support of circa 12 Meraki access points at Mansfield and Keyworth

10. Change and Incident determination and management

Security Operations Centre:

The Service to be procured fall into the following nine categories:

1. 24x7x365 SOC Management Services

2. Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM)

3. Security Monitoring

4. Security Intelligence Services

5. Change and Incident determination and management

6. Security Reporting

7. Firewall Governance

8. Managed services of the IDS and IPS, Cisco umbrella, Cisco Secure Endpoint,

9. Reporting and service management including product roadmap, recommendations and end of life / support notification

Flexible activities

• Ability to deliver and support new projects using a range of technologies

• Support the development of the enterprise network architecture

Please see VI.3) Additional information of this notice for a more detailed description of the services.

II.2.14) Additional information

The Authority will host an initial meeting via Microsoft Teams to which all interested suppliers are invited. This meeting will be held on Tuesday 17th September 2024 10:30-12:00, where the Authority will, introduce the Authority, provide updates on the requirement; present further details on the proposed procurement and timescales; as well a short Question and Answer opportunity.

This will then be followed up with further market engagement sessions on Thursday 26th September 2024 - 13:30 - 16:30 that will be held at our offices in Mansfield. This will include a site visit and further in-depth discussions around the existing operations and the future scope of services including feedback on the proposed service and procurement.

The Authority invites suppliers to express their interest in this market engagement opportunity via the InBye Portal no later than 16:00 Friday 13th September 2024.

To register please log on to http://redirect.transaxions.com/events/DH1gm

Should you have any questions, please contact Rebecca Vines on 01623 637351

II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:

03/03/2025

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.3) Additional information

The Authority is an arm's length body that sits under the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) responsible for the legacy of the coal mines in Great Britain and is a category 2 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act.

The Authority operates a mixed of commodity and in-house developed strategic services that are hosted on premise and in the cloud (AWS / Azure). The Authority operates 81 mine water treatment schemes and ongoing operational project sites and telemetry services that have or may require network connectivity and security over the life of the contract.

A core element of the contract will be to support and develop the network for the Authority's enterprise mining information system (Inferis), which uses a variety of technologies including GIS providing services both internally and externally including an e-commerce site and data delivery services.

The organisation has developed capabilities in various technical fields to become an 'intelligent client', able to collaborate and effectively manage requirements and third-party involvement. Our aim is maintain and continue to develop this with our strategic partner over the life of this contract.

This procurement is expected to begin early 2025 and this notice is initially to seek responses to a series of Market Engagement opportunities that will help finalise the procurement. The main objectives of the Market Engagement sessions are:

• To understand how we might best undertake this procurement activity,

• what our optimum options for structuring to meet the requirements of the proposed contract are and the proposed service delivery model,

• and seek expert views on how the market can best meet the needs of the organisation

As outlined above the Authority will host an initial meeting via Microsoft Teams to which all interested suppliers are invited. This meeting will be held on Tuesday 17th September 2024 10:30-12:00 where the Authority will, introduce the Authority, provide updates on the requirement; present further details on the proposed procurement and timescales; as well a short Question and Answer opportunity.

This will then be followed up with further market engagement sessions on Thursday 26th September 2024 - 13:30 - 16:30 which will be held at our offices in Mansfield. This will include a site visit and further in-depth discussions around the existing operations and the future scope of services including feedback on the proposed service and procurement