CAR for Microsoft Enterprise Agreement
Renfrewshire Council · 20 November 2025
Back to Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board — 20 November 2025 and its agenda
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OFFICIAL ___________________________________________________________________ To: Finance, Resources and Customer Service Policy Board On: 20 November 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: The Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Contract Authorisation Report for Microsoft Enterprise Agreement ( RC- CPU-25-104) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek the approval of the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to award a contract for a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement to Phoenix Software Ltd (company number: 02548628). 1.2 The procurement exercise was conducted in accordance with the Call- Off Award Procedure as a further competition under the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework Agreement for Technology Products & Associated Services 2, reference RM6098 Lot 3 (Software) and Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts. 1.3 A contract strategy document was approved by the Head of Digital, Transformation and Customer Services on 11 September 2025 and the Interim Corporate Procurement Manager on 10 September 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board authorises:
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OFFICIAL 2.1 The Head of Corporate Governance to Award a Call-Off Contract for a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement to Phoenix Software Limited (company number: 02548628) following a further competition under Lot 3 (Software) of the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework Agreement Technology Products & Associated Services 2, reference RM6098 in accordance with the Framework Call-Off Award Procedure. 2.2 That the Call-Off Contract is for a period of 3 years and it is proposed that the Call-Off Contract Start Date will be 1 April 2026 to expire on 31 March 2029. However, the actual Call-Off Start Date and Call-Off Expiry Date will be confirmed in the Order Form in accordance with the Framework Call-Off Award Procedure. 2.3 That the approved Call-Off Contract value is £6,089,901.72 excluding VAT for the full three year period. 2.4 In accordance with the Core Terms of the Framework Agreement, an aggregate liability cap for this Call-Off Contract which will not exceed the greater of £1 million or 150% of the Estimated Yearly Charges. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Council has a requirement for a replacement Microsoft Enterprise Agreement as the current Microsoft Enterprise Agreement contract expires on 31 March 2026. This new Contract will provide Microsoft licensing for all the Council’s current corporate and academic users. 3.2 A review of the procurement options identified that the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework Agreement Technology Products & Associated Services 2 reference RM6098 (“the Framework”) could be utilised. The procurement exercise for this Contract was conducted in accordance with the Call-Off Award Procedure as a further competition under Lot 3 of the Framework and in accordance with the procedures for use of third party frameworks under the Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts. 3.3 The further competition documentation was issued to all 40 suppliers on Lot 3 (Software) of the Framework via the Public Contracts Scotland – Tender portal on 11 September 2025 with the tender submission deadline of 12 noon on 30 September 2025. Four responses were received in response to this further competition. Thirty-six suppliers did not respond. Of the four responses received, one response was excluded from the Tender process as Crown Commercial Services advised that this Supplier had been recently suspended from the Framework.
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OFFICIAL 3.4 The suppliers who did not bid were contacted to ascertain the reason for not bidding. The main reasons provided stated that they were not accredited to provide the Microsoft Licences or did not have the capacity to bid. 3.5 This is a proposed Call-Off Contract from an above GPA Threshold Framework. The Supplier selection requirements contained in the Single Procurement Document were already met at the Framework Award stage and evaluated as part of the Framework procurement by Crown Commercial Services. 3.6 The remaining three Tender Submissions were then evaluated against the further competition Award Criteria of 20% Quality and 80% Price. The individual supplier scores relative to the Award Criteria are noted below: Tenderer Name Quality Score (20%) Price Score (80%) Total Score (100%) Phoenix Software Limited 18.00% 79.62% 97.62% Ultima Business Solutions Ltd 16.50% 79.24% 95.74% Softcat PLC 12.00% 80.00% 92.00% 3.7 It is recommended that the Call-Off Contract under Lot 3 of the Framework, is awarded to Phoenix Software Limited, who based on evaluation, have provided the most economically advantageous tender. The Call-off Contract will be formed under the Framework Award Procedure using the Order Form and relevant Call-Off Schedules and Joint Schedules as published with the Framework and identified at the further competition stages of this Call-Off Contract. 3.8 The cost for this Call-Off Contract will be funded by the ICT Revenue Budget. 3.9 Community benefits were requested as part of the further competition procedure and Phoenix Software Limited has committed to deliver the following community benefits as part of this Call-Off Contract: Community Benefit Number of People/Activities Industry Awareness Events 3 Industry Transfer to Schools 6
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OFFICIAL ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - The approved Call-Off Contract value is £6,089,901.72, excluding VAT, for the 3 year contract period. The cost of this Call-Off Contract will be met from the ICT Services Revenue budget. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None directly arising from this report. 3. Community/Council Planning – Living our values - making a difference together - Ensuring Renfrewshire Council delivers Best Value for our citizens and customers, that we are a well governed, effective organisation 4. Legal - The procurement for this Call-Off Contract was carried out in accordance with the further competition requirements under the CCS Framework Agreement for Technology Products & Associated Services 2, reference RM6098 under Lot 3 (Software) and Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts. 5. Property/Assets - The Microsoft licences purchased will work only on Council laptops used by Council staff or in Renfrewshire schools. 6. Information Technology - This contract will provide necessary licences for Corporate and Academic which allows the Council to operate the technology and have a robust communication channel. 7. Equality & Human Rights - None directly arising from this report. 8. Health & Safety - The health and safety for Phoenix Software Limited was evaluated by the Council’s Health and Safety Section and met the Council’s requirements. 8. Procurement – The procurement exercise was conducted in accordance with the Call-Off Award Procedure as a further competition under the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework Agreement for Technology Products & Associated Services 2 reference RM6098 Lot 3 (Software) and Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts 1.5 and 29.
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OFFICIAL 9. Risk – Phoenix Software Limited insurance documents were evaluated by Crown Commercial Service at the time of Framework award and were deemed to meet the minimum requirements. An aggregate liability cap will be included in this Call-Off Contract which will not exceed the greater of £1 million or 150% of the Estimated Yearly Charges. 10. Privacy Impact - None directly arising from this report. 11. Climate Risk – None directly arising from this report. 12. Children’s Rights – None directly arising from this report. 13. Cosla Policy Position – None directly arising from this report. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) None ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Rachel Davison, Digital Category Manager, rachel.davison@renfrewshire.gov.uk