THE COALFIELDS REGENERATION TRUST INVITATION TO TENDER 2014 IT Introduction The Trust was established in 1999 in response to the Report of the Coalfields Taskforce, which highlighted the factors that accounted for the severe forms of disadvantage experienced by many coalfields communities. It works in the former coalfields of England, Scotland and Wales. The Trust is in significant transformational change. It has been tasked with becoming a real social enterprise that will be able to sustain itself into the future. In rising to this challenge the Trust has developed a portfolio of activity that is either income generating or has the prospect of becoming a fully funded activity. The Trust s current Internet Service Provider is Claranet, and the 2 year contract comes to an end on 10 th September 2014, and the Head Office lease line expires on the 17 th October 2014. The Trust wishes to plan appropriately and assess all options available including the possibility of procuring IT differently to how it has done so in the past. Appended to this brief is an outline of the current system, types of hardware and software in use along with applications which are used by the Trust. Appendix 1 provides an overview of the network and Appendix 2 provides additional detail. There is also an opportunity to look at the wider context and also consider the Trust s current phone system. The Project The Trust and its wholly owned subsidiaries are currently seeking a consultant to complete a time limited piece of work, which will involve appraising its existing IT infrastructure, both Hardware and Software, providing impartial advice in terms of the current Internet Service Provider, and offer a range of alternatives in respect of how the Trust could operate now and in the future, such as moving to a cloud based system. Each option provided will need to be assessed and appraised for its appropriateness, be cost effective, not inhibit current ways of working and have given due consideration to all pro s and con s associated with the options provided. It will need to consider lead times and the deliverability of the solutions provided. The outcome of the work is to provide the Head of Finance and Corporate Services and the Network/Systems Administrator with a solution framework/plan in which to drive the Trusts IT strategy forward.
Objectives Appraise the current system in place and its robustness for the future. Impartially advise on the current Internet Service Provider. Consider alternative Internet Service Providers, what they can offer the Trust with a view to improving what we currently have at a more competitive rate. Consider lead times and be mindful of the contract renewal date with Claranet ensuring the Trust is not forced to renew with them. Provide IT Network advice, support and development. Identify a range of alternative IT solutions, e.g. The Cloud. Provide the Head of Finance and Corporate Services and the Network/Systems Administrator with a framework/plan in which to drive the Trust s IT strategy forward. Points to consider The Trust has a Head Office based in Barnsley, and two other offices in Scotland and Wales. The Head Office location may change in approximately 12 months. The Trust currently employs 34 staff (19 in England 9, in Wales and 6 in Scotland). Management / Overview of consultancy The consultant selected to undertake this work will have a contractual agreement with the Trust. The Head of Finance and Corporate Services will oversee the work alongside the Network/Systems Administrator and work closely with the consultant equipping them with as much information as required to undertake the task. The Head of Finance and Corporate Services will inform Management colleagues and Trustees of progress. The objectives, methods, costs and timescales of the exercise have been agreed by the Management Team. Key Activities Liaise closely with the Head of Finance and Corporate Services and the Network/Systems Administrator to understand the Trust and how it will operate into the future. Speak to staff within the Trust to define detail as and where necessary. Provide a final report for consideration by management which ultimately reaches a conclusion and makes firm recommendations in terms of a course of action for all aspects as defined in the objectives. Selection Criteria The Consultant selected to undertake this project will need to demonstrate the following criteria: Demonstrable experience of IT network infrastructures and alternative solutions e.g. The Cloud, and or Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS.) Knowledge and experience of Internet Service Providers and the packages they can offer.
Timescales A successful track record of delivering high quality service and on time to client organisations. Experience of Microsoft Windows Server Networks. The ability to remain impartial at all stages of the process. Appointment Process Completed tenders must be received by the Trust no later than Friday 27 th June 2014. For guidance the Trust are not expecting an extensive tender document (6 pages at the maximum- covering approach, experience, skills and resources, timescales, work done for other clients and any other general comments). The Trust will invite organisations/consultants selected for interview during the week commencing 30 th June 2014. The appointment will be subject to satisfactory references. Delivery It is anticipated, that the piece of work will take 3 days and tenders should detail how much this is anticipated to cost, who will undertake the work and the tasks they will undertake each day. The contract will be allocated on a value for money basis to the consultant with the most appropriate skills, experience and track record. Consultants are invited to tender for this project and will be expected to submit a full and detailed costing of the work they propose to undertake. Final Documentation The consultant will supply 1 electronic version and 1 hard copy of the final report, including all supporting material/spread sheets and information by the deadline. The intellectual property will remain that of the Trust. Any consultant/organisation requiring more information about this Invitation to tender should contact: Louise Dyson, Head of Finance and Corporate Services Phone: 01226 272810 E-mail: louise.dyson@coalfields-regen.org.uk
Appendix 2: Coalfields Regeneration Trust Current IT Systems Overview The Trust s Network: The Trust s network covers Head Office in England, a regional office in Wales and a regional office in Scotland. There is also a Disaster Recovery (DR) site which would only be connected in the event of a disaster. All the sites are currently connected via an MPLS solution supplied to us by our current ISP. Head Office is connected via a 2mb Leased Line. Wales, Scotland and the DR site are all connected to the MPLS via 8mb Business ADSL connections, all Firewalls and routers have been supplied to us by our ISP. We have a handful of remote users who have no specific office and work out in the community and in outreach locations. These users also require access to the Trust s network and currently do so through either VPN access or Remote Desktop Web Access. As with the firewalls and routers, our current SSL VPN solution is supplied to us through our ISP. All our users have access to email via Outlook Web Access and our mobile devices also access email through this. Internet Service Provider Package: MPLS Connectivity Between four sites SSL VPN Connectivity for use by out remote workers. (10 Concurrent Connections) 3 x 8MB Business ADSL Connections (Connecting out Welsh, Scottish and Disaster Recovery Site to MPLS) 1 x 2MB Leased Line (At Head Office) Message Labs Web and Mail filtering 1 x Web facing Static IP address for Outlook Web Access and Remote Desktop Services Web Server The Trust s internal IT Infrastructure: Network: 2 x Windows Domains (Main Network and one for remote workers) Gigabit Network Infrastructure at head office, full Cat6 cabling All Servers are at Head Office Hardware: 2 x IBM Servers running VMWare 4.1 ESXi 1 x Unbranded Server used for Nightly Tape Backups 1 x Unbranded Server used as VMWare Management Server
Virtual Servers: 3 x Domain Controllers - Windows Server 2003 Standard, Second Domain Windows Server 2008R2 Standard 1 x Exchange 2007 Enterprise - Windows Server 2008R2 Standard 3 x SQL Servers 2 x Windows Server 2003 Standard and 1 x 2008R2 Standard 3 x Remote Desktop Servers 2 x Windows Server 2003 Standard and 1 x Windows Server 2008R2 Standard 1 x RDS Web Server -Windows Server 2008R2 1 x Sophos/Wsus Server Windows Server 2003 Standard Software: Windows Server Standard 2003 and 2008R2 VMWare ESXi 4.1 Essentials Plus Exchange 2007 Enterprise SQL Server 2005, 2008 and 2012 Sophos Endpoint Security Complete WSUS 2 x Inhouse Bespoke Databases SAGE 200, 50 Payroll and HR SAGE CRM Remote Desktop Services Terminal Services Office 2010 Professional Mobile Devices: ipads and iphones Blackberries Disaster Recovery Site: 3 x Unbranded Servers Mirrored Setup of Head Office (2 x VM hosts + 1 Backup Server with Tape Drive) 1 x 8MB ADSL Business Connection