Please note the scope of this project has been substantially revised. The original project scope was to deliver a Server, Storage and Solutions Network Agreement (SSSNA) procurement framework specifically for the Research Services Section (RSS) team, part of the IT Infrastructure (ITI) directorate within the Information Services Group (ISG) of the University of Edinburgh, using Scottish Government/OJEU procedures. However, during the project it was agreed that RSS would benefit from participating in a wider procurement framework exercise, as part of an initiative by the Southern Universities Procurement Consortium (SUPC) with Scottish Universities represented by Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC) Ltd.

ISG's IT Infrastructure (ITI) Research Services Section (RSS) provides wide ranging computing and data services to the University's research community.  The Research Procurement Framework project will deliver a new infrastructure procurement framework to replace the current agreement used by RSS to source servers, storage and infrastructure services.

A significant part of the work of RSS staff involves managing requirements for large scale compute or data infrastructure provisioning. These requirements fall into two main categories -

• Responding to College requests for new compute and storage capacity. Frequently this requires a fast turnaround on delivery and so the ability to source equipment and services through a pre-existing framework, rather than running a large scale procurement exercise, is essential.
• Maintaining a rolling infrastructure replacement cycle. RSS now manage the upgrade of large scale infrastructure using a rolling replacement cycle rather than a full refresh exercise every 5 years, which fundamentally changes the processes needed to procure equipment and services.

Underpinning this is the need to run procurement exercises without significantly impacting operational activity, as would be the case for a full refresh exercise. So to minimise the use of key technical resources for procurement activities, and so prioritising operational and project work, it is essential to RSS that a purchasing framework is in place for the efficient sourcing of infrastructure capital equipment and services.

Work has been ongoing since FY2020/21 with SUPC (Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium) in developing a Universities' replacement Server, Storage and Solutions National Agreement (SSSNA) framework, in which RSS is a key participant and will be an active user. The work included strategy, process and compliance definitions leading to the issuing of a contract notice and subsequent invitations to tender (ITTs) in Q1-2/AY2021-22. This was to be followed by evaluation and award phases in Q3/AY2021-22. This project covers RSS's participation in the development of the framework plus as a specific transition phase to migrate RSS from the current framework to new one in Q4/AY2021-22.

RSS involvement will ensure that the new framework effectively incorporates RSS's procurement needs and reflects the Universities priorities and policies as well as providing both technical and commercial expertise to the evaluation processes.

Note that the current RSS procurement framework has been extended until July 2022, due to the delay in completion on the new SSSNA framework.

Further project documentation is available on the project SharePoint site.