SaaS data loss: The problem you didn’t know you had

The government is looking for suppliers of integrated systems to help with its efficiency and transformation programmes

The Office of Government Commerce's (OGC) procurement agency has issued a tender for £1bn of ICT services. OGCbuying.solutions published its Integrated Solutions framework on 16 October 2006 in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Business and management consultancy and large scale ICT solutions are likely to be high on the list of goods and services that will be purchased through Integrated Solutions. The tender notice states: "The Integrated Solutions framework agreement will focus upon ICT as the driver for customer's requirements".

The latest framework follows the cancellation of "total solutions" and incorporates elements of that into it. It comes in addition to the main Catalist frameworks.

"We did a big launch of the new Catalist, but we still have extra requirements coming up," an OGCbuying.solutions spokesperson told GC News.

Companies have until 30 November to apply for inclusion on an initial shortlist of up to 120. The top 20 bidders will then be invited to submit detailed tenders.

Competition between the successful suppliers could be reopened, however, if public sector organisations decide to use electronic reverse auctions before purchasing.

Kable consultant Scott Bryan said: "The big question is whether this new framework will create new business opportunities for the many companies who failed to be selected for the main Catalist deals - or will it just make them even more angry if they don't make it into this one either."

This article was originally published at Kablenet.

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