(NU/1866) Network Infrastructure Refresh Project

Newcastle University is planning to refresh its network infrastructure. This PIN is only an alert to the market that the University will be setting a tender process underway in the spring of 2023. The procurement element of the programme intends to deliver outcomes focussed on a holistic refresh of our Network Infrastructure. We will seek to appoint a suitable partner / integrator capable of meeting the following high-level requirements. The ability and capability to deliver:

1. Design, supply and fulfilment of an agreed suitably sized market-leading wired and wireless network provision over the duration of the contract award;
2. Implementation services and work alongside existing network team to deploy;
3. Enterprise network replacement of both wired, wireless and connectivity across multiple buildings and varying location across the city and remote sites.
4. Underpinning network services (‘software’) to provide deeper integration into the network management tools, enabling monitoring, visibility, automation, enhancements to service reliability and improvements to cyber security. It should be noted that a key output of this future sourcing event will be the development of a medium to long-term collaborative partnership with the successful partner / integrator. The core focus of this relationship will be towards the modernisation of our network infrastructure provision, ensuring that it is future proof and underpinned by University business requirements (over the term of the agreement) within a value for money framework that is customer centric. The University has in the region of 6,500 employees and 30,000 students who all engage with the network in one way or another; the network infrastructure sits at the heart of our IT provision and enables a wide range of operational, external, teaching and research focussed requirements. Our collective ambition is to provide a positive experience for all who engage with the network, enabled by a platform which includes powerful analytics, reporting tools and technical support when needed. As stated above, this PIN is only designed to alert the market to our future intent to tender for this requirement and to give prospective bidders the opportunity to express and register their interest, leading up to the commencement of the tender stage on 10.03.2023. The University intends to use the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation to appoint a single partner/integrator. The contract reference is NU/1866. The deadline for expressing an interest is 03.03.2023 at 14:00 GMT. To do so, please email Dave Anderson at Dave.Anderson@newcastle.ac.uk