---
title: "Microsoft Unified Support Contract"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY"
published: "2023-06-27"
---

# Microsoft Unified Support Contract

Buyer: NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4.json)

## Summary

The Northern Ireland Assembly has awarded a contract for the Microsoft Unified Support Contract to Microsoft following a negotiated procedure without prior publication. The contract, worth £231,000, was signed on June 23, 2023. The contract involves providing service support for the Assembly's Microsoft software environment, including expert advice, 24/7 support, and proactive hours to support product implementation over the next three years.

This procurement process, led by the Northern Ireland Assembly, falls under the IT services category and is aimed at enhancing support for their Microsoft software environment. The direct award method was chosen due to the exclusive nature of Microsoft's services, as they are the sole provider capable of meeting the Assembly's technical requirements. This presents a unique growth opportunity for businesses well-equipped to provide specialised Microsoft-related services and support.

## Notice

Service support for our Microsoft software environment.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Provide IS Office technical staff with expert advice and assistance in the support of both existing and new Microsoft software products and the ability to request immediate escalation of urgent issues on standard applications with no constraints on the time required. This includes all new applications in-flight, such as Microsoft Defender. The IS Office would have as-needed 24/7 support from Microsoft, supporting the team in a timely manner, improving the overall service. Provide the IS Office time with Microsoft to facilitate additional projects, as required, to ensure the Assembly Commission meets the needs of end users at a pace more aligned to how technology develops. This time will support the creation of a new modern environment that accommodates increased security, modern remote working, future proofing services and an all-round better end user experience. A number of hours have been proposed to advise on projects over the next three years such as the implementation of Microsoft Defender (antivirus), Microsoft Intune (to support mobile device management), migration of on-premise email to M365 (Cloud email), the support of a remote access solution, support with potentially upgrading the Hyper V Firmware, or alternative, support migrating services to the cloud, where applicable and providing support to the Assembly Commission on modernising the workplace, through additional use of the Microsoft technology stack such as SharePoint online and additional use of Teams. This time will also ensure the team receives the necessary training to support the products in use and strategic approach to the technology available. Microsoft provides such support hours in blocks as it provides value for money across economies of scale. Unified Enterprise Support with unlimited reactive hours and approximately 100 proactive hours (to support products already in use), with an additional 300 proactive support hours to support the implementation of new products.

### Procurement Information

The Procurement and IS Offices have discussed this requirement in detail. After conducting enquiries, it is very clear that the services which the IS Office wish to purchase are exclusive to Microsoft. They are not offered for resale by any other supplier. There are no other known suppliers who can even offer a similar level of service. Microsoft are the only company who can provide this service and as such, there remains only one option to procure this renewal and that is through a negotiated procedure without prior publication - a direct award. This is provided for in the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 - specifically under regulation 32(b)(ii). This allows for contracts to be awarded without competition in circumstances where competition is absent for technical reasons. In this case, the Microsoft unified support renewal is exclusive to Microsoft and cannot be purchased from another provider.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018227-2023 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Jun 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Jun 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £231,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT4 3XX |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Stormont |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast East |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | MICROSOFT |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

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

## Release History

- 27 Jun 2023 at 11:20 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018227-2023

## Notice URLs

- http://www.niassembly.gov.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03dcc4.json.