Suppliers wanted on £60m higher education framework

The framework is divided into four lots – networking equipment supply only, network projects below £1m, network projects above £1m and network consultancy

North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium Ltd (NEUPC) has published a prior information notice for a £60m framework for the supply of networking equipment and services to higher education institutions.

The Higher Education Networking Supply and Services 2 framework is divided into four lots - networking equipment supply only, network projects below £1m, network projects above £1m and network consultancy - with tenderers able to be awarded a maximum of three lots.

"NEUPC wishes to develop a national framework agreement to service the requirements of UK higher education institutions and associate members for the supply of networking equipment and services through a framework for higher education networking equipment and services, for the supply, installation, storage, maintenance, and repair of networking equipment and networking consultancy provision," NEUPC said.

Lot one includes the supply of products such as gateways, routers, switches, bridges, hubs, firewalls and more.

Lots two and three, meanwhile, cover "any or all aspects of networking, including equipment, design, storage, implementation, maintenance, training, through to final disposal".

And lot four is for the "provision of all aspects of independent networking consultancy" but is not open to suppliers awarded on lots one to three "to avoid any conflicts of interest".

The estimated date for the publication of the contract notice is 23 February 2022.

For more information, visit the tender.