DA from the Digital Workplace Solutions 2 SBS10510 FW for the Microsoft CSP License and Subscriptions contract

Microsoft licences are proprietary products governed by standard commercial terms established by Microsoft. Although several authorised licensing partners are available, these suppliers do not offer alternative products and possess limited flexibility regarding pricing or licence conditions. Consequently, conducting a competitive tender would not result in substantial market competition or enhanced value for money. Proceeding with the proposed direct award ensures service continuity, mitigates operational risk, and utilises existing licensing and support arrangements. This contract covers multiple licences and services, including academic alternative licences (A5) for eligible users, network bridging between our data centre and Microsoft Azure for Teams Telephony and call centre integration, and security measures such as Azure Firewall. Additionally, the security provision encompasses the antivirus solution for all our servers. It also includes costs for a Microsoft Fabric instance used with Power BI for analytics. Essentially, CSP is a subscription to Microsoft services. This procurement was carried out on behalf of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Darlington Borough Council.