Newcastle University

Newcastle University, Procurement Services, Kingsgate

Newcastle

NE1 7RU

UK

Contact person: Mr Dave Anderson

Telephone: +44 1912085360

E-mail: dave.anderson@ncl.ac.uk

NUTS: UKC22

Internet address(es)

Main address: https://www.ncl.ac.uk

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.ncl.ac.uk

II.1.1) Title

Reference number: DN652647

II.1.2) Main CPV code

32400000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

II.1.4) Short description

Newcastle University’s IT Network is the enabler for all the IT Services which underpin Newcastle’s critical business functions, teaching, and research.

The existing network infrastructure has been in place for nine years and has reached the end of its supportable life. This, coupled with the incumbent supplier Huawei pulling out of the UK market and the University’s need to improve its cyber security posture, has led to the need to replace all wired and wireless networking infrastructure across campus, satellite sites, NUMed (Malaysia) and NewRIIS (Singapore).

The University increasingly depends on its network infrastructure for business-critical activities driven by increasing numbers of digital services and data growth generated through teaching, learning and research activities.

The University demands a modern, fit for purpose network with up-to-date security controls in line with industry best practice and leveraging cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) to meet the University’s existing needs while providing agility to meet the future demand, capacity, and innovation to underpin the needs of the “Campus of the Future.” The upgrading of the University’s IT network is an essential step to manage Newcastle University’s cyber security risk.

As well as replacing the network infrastructure (‘hardware’) the University needs to replace the underpinning network services (‘software’) to provide deeper integration into the network management tools, enabling monitoring, visibility, automation, enhancements to service reliability and cyber security.

The replacement network will support the University’s digital aspirations and strategies, be easier to upgrade in the future and therefore provide a lower incremental upgrade cost and, consequently, mitigate the peril of having to replace the network in a ‘big bang’ project like this again.

The University is using the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation to appoint a single partner/integrator.

The successful supplier will need to provide a solution to deliver the following high level business case requirements:

• Re-design and transformation of the Newcastle University network

• Hardware replacement, core network, campus and switch estate

• Wi Fi modernisation, replacement and transformation of existing solution

• Cyber security re design and resilient future proofed solution

• New network tools maximising and automating standard processes

• Support and maintenance

The University invites interested candidates to participate in an initial prequalification stage, from which a maximum of five will be selected to participate in a tender process. This can be accessed here:

https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=9ee90145-16e5-ed11-8121-005056b64545

The contract reference is NU/1866.

The deadline for submitting your prequalification stage response is 16:00 BST on Friday 2nd June 2023

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Competitive procedure with negotiation

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number in the OJ S:

2023/S 000-002053

IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date: 02/06/2023

Local time: 16:00

IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

Date: 22/06/2023

IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

EN

VI.4.1) Review body

VI.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:

The University will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) within 30 days of knowledge or constructive knowledge of breach.