Government invites VARs to £200m Technology Services party

Incumbent IT Managed Services framework given a six-month stay of execution

Suppliers have been invited to bid for a place on the multi-million pound Technology Services framework after it appears the government's exisiting framework has been extended for a further six months.

Technology Services will replace the IT Managed Services vehicle, which following two one-year extensions to its initial 24-month term, was due to expire on 5 August. According to government information, the framework will now end on 5 February next year, suggesting it has been extended for another six months.

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) unveiled a prior information notice (PIN) for Technology Services back in April, in which it pegged the value of the framework to be between £50m and £70m excluding VAT. According to the contract notice published today, the expected value has shot up to between £100m and £200m also excluding VAT.

In the contract notice CCS stressed that the new framework - which will last for 18 months - will fall in line with its intentions to make IT procurement within the government more open to smaller suppliers.

"We are particularly looking for specialist suppliers who can provide the services under individual lots as well as suppliers who can provide multiple services," it said, adding that public sector bodies across the board will be able to procure from the new vehicle.

The framework is split into 11 lots: Lot 1- Help desk/Service desk; Lot 2 - Desktop Support; Lot 3 - Network Management; Lot 4 - Network and content security; Lot 5 - Infrastructure and Platform, Maintenance and Support; Lot 6 - Audit services and Asset management; Lot 7 - IT Infrastructure Transition Services and Delivery; Lot 8 - Service Integration/Service Integrator; Lot 9 - Disaster Recovery/ Business Continuity; Lot 10 - Back up and Data Services; and Lot 11 - Asset Disposal.