Tender

Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust Network Infrastructure Upgrade

DARTMOOR MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

TenderCancellation

25 Apr 2025 at 12:12

Tender

07 Apr 2025 at 10:22

Planning

18 Mar 2025 at 15:17

Summary of the contracting process

The Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust initiated a procurement process for a Network Infrastructure Upgrade, focusing on enhancing IT services across its 17 educational institutions to meet Department for Education guidelines. The procurement was structured as an open procedure, seeking products like network equipment and IT services, with a total potential value of £660,000, located in Okehampton and Totnes, UK. Key considerations included maintaining school operations during installations scheduled mainly for the summer holidays 2025. However, this tender was eventually cancelled on 25th April 2025 due to project reassessment and perceived high risks, suggesting a need for significant changes in the project delivery approach. The tender's planning, tender, and award stages were sequentially active, with submissions initially due by 16th May 2025.

Businesses experienced in IT network infrastructure, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), were initially invited to participate, offering growth opportunities through enhancements to school networks. Despite the tender's cancellation, the framework underscored potential for firms capable of developing scalable and resilient IT solutions aligned with educational infrastructure needs. The opportunity would suit organisations with experience in educational sector projects involving IT services and network equipment installation. Future similar opportunities could arise, given the high priority of digital infrastructure improvements in schools. Interested businesses would benefit from keeping an eye on subsequent announcements for revised tenders as the Trust reviews its procurement strategy.

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Notice Title

Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust Network Infrastructure Upgrade

Notice Description

Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust strategic aim is to improve its services across 17 educational institutions, to achieve the guidelines set by the Department for Education (DfE). The initiative was prompted by the critical need for a resilient, secure, and high-performing digital infrastructure to support the Trust's educational objectives. NGC Networks, in collaboration with Transformative were commissioned to undertake an audit of the Switch Level Network for each school and propose an action plan to deliver the improvements needed to deliver the project outcomes. Whilst the Trust's aim is to deliver the improvements at all schools, this is likely to take a number of years over a phased approach due to the costs involved. Therefore, the Trust have initially prioritised works to be completed at the following two sites, with the tender being published by the end of the Spring Term 2025, with the works to be delivered during the summer holidays 2025. a. Holsworthy College b. Okehampton College Contractors are referred to the following that provides the DfE guidance that was used in the audit of IT infrastructure at each school site to identify the required standards and improvements: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges A programme of AD surveys is being undertaken at all schools during the Easter holidays, with any required asbestos removal works being programmed in for the first two weeks of the summer holidays. Until these surveys are available, the impact of these works won't be fully known. The current plan is to schedule in the IT infrastructure works for the remaining four weeks of the summer holidays. This timescale may be able to be extended if the IT infrastructure can be organised around the asbestos removal, for example, Okehampton has separate buildings on site. Or, if minimal or no asbestos removal is needed. The programme can be extended into future holiday periods to complete the works, but the Schools must be left fully operational in the interim. The current plan also needs to factor in the need to keep both colleges operational during the summer holidays due to central staff working, lettings and the management of exam results. There is a virtual Q&A on the 22nd April at 11am There are site visits, on Wednesday 16th April at Okehampton College and Thursday 17th April at Holsworthy College. Tenderers who wish to participate are requested to register for the virtual Q&A and/or the site visits via the tendering portal.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Extensions may be used to incorporate any unknown delays to the project and if any additional school installations are added into the project.

Planning Information

If you would like to participate in the Preliminary Market Engagement process please email tenders@phplaw.co.uk and an Instruction Pack will be emailed to you. This will include the Introduction Information to the project, the technical specifications from the school audits and the link to the MS Form which will enable you to complete a questionnaire. In addition, there is a preliminary market engagement virtual meeting available to attend, which you can join via MS Teams, Meeting ID: 329 972 062 270 Passcode: LD28se9f. This is for Tuesday 25th March at 12 noon.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04ee90
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017021-2025
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

51 - Installation services (except software)

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support


CPV Codes

32400000 - Networks

32420000 - Network equipment

51000000 - Installation services (except software)

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£550,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£550,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Apr 202510 months ago
Submission Deadline
16 May 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
4 Apr 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
27 Jul 2025 - 27 Jul 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Cancelled
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Cancelled
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DARTMOOR MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Additional Buyers

MISSING

PHP LAW LLP

Contact Name
Josie Medforth, Michael Coles
Contact Email
josie.medforth@phplaw.co.uk, mcoles@dmatschools.org.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1409 259613, +447857426127

Buyer Location

Locality
OKEHAMPTON
Postcode
EX20 1PU
Post Town
Exeter
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK43 Devon CC
Delivery Location
TLK4 Devon

Local Authority
West Devon
Electoral Ward
Okehampton South
Westminster Constituency
Central Devon

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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