--- title: "Data Service Framework" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "BELFAST HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS" published: "2024-09-30" --- # Data Service Framework Buyer: BELFAST HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e.json) ## Summary Belfast Harbour Commissioners (BHC) is currently in the tender stage for establishing a "Data Service Framework" aimed at their digital and data transformation programme. The procurement, valued at £4,000,000, focuses on data services under the Microsoft suite of products to enhance data management, governance, analytics, and reporting. The framework will have a duration of up to five years (initially three years with potential annual extensions up to two years). The deadline for tender submissions is 8 November 2024, with services to be delivered primarily at the Belfast Harbour Estate, located in region UKN06. The industry category for this tender is "Data services" and encompasses a range of IT services like cloud platform implementation, data governance, analytics, and custom generative AI solutions. This tender presents a significant opportunity for IT service providers, particularly those with expertise in Microsoft Azure, data analytics, and AI solutions. Businesses equipped to manage cloud platforms, data governance, self-service enterprise reporting environments using Power BI, and custom AI solutions are well-suited for this framework. By participating and being selected, companies can secure a spot in a potentially lucrative framework that, while not guaranteeing a minimum volume of work, opens doors for various Work Packages dictated by future needs. The selective procurement method ensures a competitive yet fair process, further encouraging innovation and business growth for successful applicants. The formal process will follow a negotiated procedure with prior call for competition, ensuring transparency and adherence to high standards. ## Notice BHC is undergoing a digital and data transformation programme aimed at delivering best practice data management processes, data governance and data analytics to connect the different business areas and current approaches across the organization. A key element of the programme is to consolidate and standardise the approach to data analytics, business intelligence and reporting by providing a centralised data platform. This will aim to overcome siloed reporting, manual data exchange between areas of the business to augment the data they have and provide an opportunity for BHC to grow its capability and excellence using a common toolset. BHC is therefore conducting this procurement process to establish a framework of service providers that can support it, when requested, in the delivery of data services to meet these objectives. The framework will establish a select list of service providers to enable BHC to instruct a wide range and variety of data services in relation to the Microsoft suite of products, referred to as "Work Packages". The services required from successful framework service providers under any Work Packages instructed by BHC will likely comprise: 1. Cloud platform: Design, implementation, operations and maintenance of Microsoft Azure cloud platform for data and analytics workloads to include cybersecurity, cost control, change management, network connectivity to on-prem data sources and other 3rd party hosted systems and end user access. 2. Data platform: Design, implementation operations and maintenance of a Microsoft Azure hosted (F-SKU) Microsoft Fabric and Purview Data Governance data and analytics platform. To include sourcing data from on-premise and 3rd party hosted data sources, ETL/ELT, data lake, data warehouse, OneLake deployment and data governance, DataOp's processes. Additional Azure services can be used/referenced where used to compliment Microsoft Fabric and achieve more complex requirements. 3. Analytics: Design, implementation, operations and maintenance of governed self-service enterprise reporting environment built using Power BI and Microsoft Fabric. 4. Generative AI solutions: Design, implementation, operation and maintenance of custom generative AI solutions leveraging Azure hosted datasets (ideally withing Fabric OneLake) and built using the Azure custom copilot stack e.g. Azure AI studio, AI Search, Azure OpenAI and other Azure hosted LLM's, Azure app service etc. Bidders should note however that the award of a place on the framework does not guarantee a bidder any, or any minimum volume of, business. BHC will have the option, at its discretion, to use the framework to instruct specific Work Packages. Whilst estimated potential volumes and types of services/Work Packages are provided as part of the PQQ document (made available to bidders as set out in this contract notice) and within this contract notice, BHC is not under any obligation (express or implied) to utilize the framework and does not make any commitment or guarantee that it will instruct any, or any minimum value or volume of, services or Work Packages. All appointments to the framework will be made on a non-exclusive basis. Furthermore, BHC reserves the right, at its discretion, to make appointments for the same or similar services and Work Packages outside of the scope of the framework at any time. Instruction of all services under the framework will be subject to prior BHC internal approval and approval of budget (dependent on the value of the Work Package/services involved, such approval will be provided at either CEO or Board Committee level). BHC also reserves the right, prior to instructing any particular services/Work Packages, to change the order and priority of services/Work Packages under the framework at any time at its discretion. ### Lot Information Lot 1 Further background information about the project, BHC's services requirements and objectives is set out within the PQQ document made available to bidders as set out in this contract notice. BHC is seeking to enter into a framework agreement with suitably qualified and experienced professional IT service providers for the provision of the services described in the PQQ. It is currently anticipated that any framework agreement entered into by BHC will be for an initial three (3) year period. BHC shall have the option, acting at its discretion, to extend on an annual basis thereafter on up to two (2) subsequent occasions of 12 (twelve) months each time, up to a maximum total period of five (5 years). Any services instructed under the framework will be instructed following a mini-competition between eligible framework providers. Prior to any services being put out to mini-competition, a detailed analysis of BHC's requirement will be undertaken to determine the more precise scope of services required for that Work Package. Options: It is currently anticipated that any framework agreement entered by BHC will be for an initial three (3) year period. BHC shall have the option, acting at its discretion, to extend on an annual basis thereafter on up to two (2) subsequent occasions of 12 (twelve) months each time, up to a maximum total period of five (5 years). ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031171-2024 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 30 Sep 2024 | | Submission deadline | 8 Nov 2024 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £4,000,000 | | Lots value | £4,000,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | BELFAST HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS | | Locality | BELFAST | | Post town | Northern Ireland | | Postcode | BT1 3AL | | Country | Northern Ireland | | ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland | | ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland | | ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast | | Local authority | Belfast | | Electoral ward | Duncairn | | Westminster constituency | Belfast North | | Delivery location | TLN06 Belfast | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support - 72300000 - Data services ## Release History - 30 Sep 2024 at 11:53 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031171-2024 ## Notice URLs - http://www.belfastharbour.co.uk - https://www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/corporate/tenders ## 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-04a41e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04a41e.json.