Issue - meetings

Licensing and support of Microsoft software for Wiltshire Council

 

 

Meeting: 26/03/2019 - Cabinet (Item 33)

33 Licensing and support of Microsoft software for Wiltshire Council

    Report by Corporate Director Alistair Cunningham

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Philip Whitehead presented the report which sought approval to competitively procure software licences and related support services for Microsoft products through Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework contract RM3733 - Technology Products 2, under Lot 2 which is for Packaged Software.

 

Cllr Whitehead explained that the Microsoft software used within the council underpins all the council’s ICT systems, and impacts on Wiltshire Police’s service delivery. It is relied upon for the council’s service delivery from back office support functions through to frontline services to the public and police, and in the future delivery of digital services to the public.

 

To use this software, the Council are required to license it under an Enterprise Agreement (EA) with Microsoft, who also provide supplier support. The current three-year agreement ends on 30thJune 2019, although if the council committed to renew the agreement by 31stMarch 2019, savings of £366k would be secured on its renewal cost.

 

In response to questions from Cllr Hubbard, Chairman of the Digital Strategy & Implementation Task Group, about (i) the desire of Microsoft that all clients move to cloud based services and the number of Council systems currently migrated to the Cloud; (ii) forward planning taking into account previous advice from suppliers and how plans have been implemented.  Cllr Whitehead reported that most local authorities were currently migrating to the Cloud and that Wiltshire was as advanced as other local authorities in this process, which it was anticipated would take up to 3 years.

 

The Leader of the Council reported that the Council had recently appointed a new Interim Director: Digital Transformation and IT who would move the project along at a faster pace.

 

Resolved:

 

To approve the procurement of a 3-year Enterprise Agreement and associated Premier Services Agreement for Microsoft licences and support services. That this be undertaken through a competitive call off from Lot 2 of the Crown Commercial Services RM3733 framework Technology Products 2, and that authority be delegated to the Interim Director for Digital Transformation and IT to approve the award of any resulting contract for the best value solution.

 

The new contract would run from 1stJuly 2019 to 30thJune 2022.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

Our existing Microsoft Enterprise Licence Contract with Bytes (the reseller)

expires on 30th June 2019. If we do not have licences in place, we will have to

cease using the software and essential public services will be significantly

disrupted.