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Pre-Market Engagement Questionnaire: Microsoft Enterprise Licensing, CSP Services and Expertise

Mid Ulster District Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

10 Sep 2026 at 12:20

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Mid Ulster District Council is preparing to renew, supply, manage and optimise its Microsoft enterprise licensing and related cloud provider services. The requirement is for an experienced Microsoft CSP partner to support the Council’s Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Teams, Power Platform, Azure and server licensing estate, including Software Assurance. Services are expected to cover licence supply and renewal, licence optimisation, inventory and proof-of-licence records, renewal tracking, compliance reporting, billing, subscription changes, incident handling and escalation to Microsoft. The Council also seeks specialist advice on security, compliance, identity, endpoints, adoption, tenant support, account governance and technology roadmaps. It is considering CSP, Enterprise Agreement or another suitable Microsoft agreement route, with delivery across its organisational estate.

This is a pre-market engagement at the planning stage, not an invitation to tender. The Council expects to use the responses to shape the agreement route, service model, pricing, governance, support arrangements and proportionate requirements; responses will not be evaluated as bids. Engagement responses are requested through eTendersNI by 3:00 pm on 24 September 2026. The indicative procurement launch is October 2026, with contract award expected in December 2026 and licensing renewal or contract commencement expected on 31 January 2027. The planned contract period runs from 31 January 2027 to 31 January 2030. The estimated value is £600,000 excluding VAT, or £720,000 including VAT. The future evaluation is expected to balance price, quality and added value.

The planned requirement should suit established Microsoft CSP partners and other suppliers able to combine licensing expertise with managed support and specialist consultancy. Relevant capability includes managing Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365, Teams, Power Platform, security, compliance, identity, endpoint and server licensing, alongside licence optimisation and compliance reporting. The Council is seeking market views on support models, Microsoft escalation, account governance, adoption, roadmap advice and transparent pricing for user and device subscriptions, Azure consumption, server licensing and professional services. Suppliers should prepare to explain their partner status, accreditations, insurance, service capability and support arrangements, as well as billing, discount and margin models. SMEs are identified as suitable for the planned requirement. This engagement is for preparation and market input, rather than bidding at this stage.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Pre-Market Engagement Questionnaire: Microsoft Enterprise Licensing, CSP Services and Expertise

Notice Description

INTRODUCTION Mid Ulster District Council is preparing a procurement for the renewal, supply, management and optimisation of its Microsoft enterprise licensing, associated CSP services and specialist Microsoft expertise. This pre-market engagement exercise will help the Council understand available market models, risks, pricing approaches, support arrangements and proportionate requirements before any formal procurement is issued. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT EXERCISE The objectives are to confirm market interest, test the most suitable agreement route and service model, identify risks or dependencies, understand pricing and governance options, and inform the Council's procurement strategy. This is not a procurement process and responses will not be evaluated as part of any future tender. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Council's Microsoft estate includes Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Teams, Power Platform, Azure, server licensing and associated Software Assurance requirements. Market input is sought on CSP, Enterprise Agreement or other Microsoft agreement routes, billing options, licence optimisation, tenant support, adoption, security and compliance support, escalation and access to qualified Microsoft expertise. STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS MUDC wishes to establish a contract with a suitably experienced Microsoft CSP partner to provide: * licensing renewal, supply and management through CSP, Enterprise Agreement or another suitable route; * licence optimisation, proof of licence, inventory records, renewal tracking and compliance reporting; * Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365, Teams, Power Platform, security, compliance, identity, endpoint and server licensing expertise; * support for billing, subscription changes, incidents, Microsoft escalation, account governance and roadmap advice; The Council also wishes to understand transparent pricing structures, including margins, discounts, billing models, separate professional services rates and how best to separate user subscriptions, device subscriptions, Azure consumption, server licensing, trial/free SKUs and advisory services. Responses should assist the Council in considering proportionate partner status, accreditations, insurance, service capability, support model and future evaluation balance between price, quality and added value. 5.0 PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT APPROACH INDICATIVE PROCUREMENT TIMEFRAME 7.0 Indicative milestones: PME published 10th September 2026 ; responses due via eTendersNI by 3.00 pm on 24th September 2026; procurement launch October , contract award December ; licensing renewal / contract commencement 31st January 2027.

Planning Information

All PME questionnaire responses should be returned to Mid Ulster District Council via eTendersNI portal no later than 3:00 pm on 24th September 2026. Whilst Mid Ulster District Council is unable to guarantee it will incorporate all feedback into the subsequent procurement exercise, there is greater potential for your suggestions to be considered in more depth, if you are able to submit your response in accordance with the deadline above.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f6bd
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085841-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

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

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£600,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Sep 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
31 Oct 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Jan 2027 - 31 Jan 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Mid Ulster District Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
COOKSTOWN
Postcode
BT80 8DT
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN0B Mid Ulster
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Mid Ulster
Electoral Ward
Cookstown West
Westminster Constituency
Mid Ulster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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