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buying in the public sector
The BAPCO Journal provides an exclusive insight into the Specialist Solutions Framework Agreement from OGCbuying.solutions…
The public sector annually spends around £125billion on goods and services including communications. However, in some cases customers require complex solutions where they may know what outcome they need but not know where to source them. OGCbuying.solutions Specialist Solutions Framework Agreement has been developed to meet these needs and offers flexibility in a range of requirements.
Specialist Solutions brings together a selection of EU compliant framework agreements which provide access to a range of services within four fundamental business areas: Communications, Applications, Managed Desktops and eBusiness. Each category offers customers the opportunity to procure from suppliers who have been selected through competitive tendering and rigorous evaluation procedures to deliver high quality services and value for money.
Customers can be confident that all Catalist Framework Agreements have been competed in accordance with EU procedures, their construction complies with the Consolidated Directive and paragraph 19 of the 2006 Public Contracts Regulations for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Buying Solutions estimates that on average customers can save 77 days – and all associated costs – by enabling customers to bypass the pre-tender stages. Therefore Specialist Solutions enables the public sector procur and roll out systems they need quickly and efficiently
The Communications category within the Specialist Solutions Framework includes the following provisions:
• Radio Communications Solutions allows customers to design and implement radio solutions where a business need for cost effective alternatives to traditional connectivity exist. Some examples that can be sourced include mast construction; private mobile radio networks (e.g. Airwave for the emergency services); wireless LAN networks; and point to point/multi point radio networks.
• Satellite Communications Solutions provides high speed satellite internet and data services for temporary or mobile locations, for disaster recovery situations, and to remote locations beyond the reach of traditional terrestrial solutions.
Customers can, for example, purchase the hardware and / or service contracts associated with the GPS infrastructure rather than the “conventional” mobile telephony networks. Requirements such as these are typical of organisations operating across international boundaries.
Satellite Communications also provides business solutions covering Satellite Navigation systems for vehicle and personal navigation. Products and services enabling vehicles to be tracked and monitored by satellite can be provided by a number of Catalist suppliers in this category.
• Microwave Communications Solutions provides point to point, or point to supplier node Microwave data links offering flexible, secure and reliable connectivity options. The maturity of radio frequency (RF) technology has permitted the use of microwave links as the major trunk channel for long distance communication. The use of microwave links has some advantages over cabling systems including communication over difficult terrain, and freedom from the acquisition of rights to lay and maintain cabling.
• CCTV Solutions delivers any kind of Closed Circuit Television solution that organisations have a requirement for. As well as site surveys, bespoke system design, installation, configuration and on-going management, suppliers can deliver requirements across a range of CCTV applications that include the following areas; maintenance; IP enabled camera devices; Wireless IP surveillance devices; automated camera activation; digital recording equipment; Intranet based viewing of IP devices via secure access; IP enabled VPN / WAN with sufficient bandwidth to offer high picture quality; and ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) services.
• Conferencing Solutions will deliver solutions designed to enable more effective ways of working across different sites or even countries. The need to travel can be mitigated through effective use of technology, with clear environmental and financial benefits arising. With the advent of ubiquitous DSL broadband in most urban (and increasingly rural) areas, high bandwidth video conferencing solutions are increasingly being used and can be sourced through this category.
• Voice Solutions allows for delivery of bespoke voice solutions and mobile and broadband technologies as part of a complete solution. The services can include requirement identification, design, development & implementation, integration, training, maintenance and support, systems security and managed services.
• Data Solutions covers organisational level solutions for data transmission services whether at building or global level, in a range of formats including IP. IT infrastructure, networks (LAN and WAN) and data networking services and cabling, are examples of projects that might fall into this category.
• Convergent Solutions can deliver converged voice and data projects requiring a combination of communication services and technologies. It can be used to specify, design and deliver projects that combine a mix of “traditional” telecoms (analogue or digital), IT, broadcasting and multicasting, content distribution, application service including control systems to enable business to take advantage of user device independence and the other benefits, such as a single infrastructure, that convergent, integrated services offer.
For further information please contact OGCbuying.solutions at:
E-mail: custcare@ogcbs.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0845 410 2222
Fax: 0151 227 3315
