[Wolves] Staffordshire, proprietary software, & EU procurement rules

[James Turner]

On 03/04/12 09:19, Richard Smedley wrote:
> "Staffordshire County Council had just published a tender for a contract
> worth up to £28 million for a three year contract divided into 16 lots:
> " servers; storage; ICT spares; workstations; portable devices; Apple
> iOS devices; Microsoft software; network infrastructure components;
> managed wireless; cabling components; data cabinets; peripherals;
> support partnership; curriculum software; network management; and
> bundled items"
>
> Sources:
> <http://www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2012/mar/22/ipads-workstations-schools-ict-equipment>
>
>
> <http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/content/view/192/89/>
>
> <http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Supplying-Council/Documents/110117_Introduction_to_the_EU_rulesa.pdf>
>
> Aside from illegally specifying particular proprietary software, this is
> rather telling of localgov profligacy:
> "The most expensive lot will be for workstations, which will cost
> between £6.4m and £12.8m, according to the notice"
>
> <hint>LTSP, Skegness Grammar School</hint>
>
> - Richard

For a more detailed description of the tender contents:

http://www.publictenders.net/node/1657826

Some observations/comments:

The lot "Apple iOS devices" actually includes both iOS and Mac OS X 
devices (e.g. Macintosh product lines). Sloppily worded.

The actual spend on Microsoft software is likely to be considerably 
higher than the value of the "Microsoft Software" lot, e.g. OEM licenses 
of Windows bundled with servers and workstations.

There is a likelihood of these additional elements slipping "under the 
radar" when cost effectiveness of the Microsoft solution is evaluated 
(if anyone bothers to do this at all).

Although many potential bidders exist, I gather that these folk have 
experience delivering Open Source solutions to the UK government, 
particularly in education:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius_Corporation_Ltd

I wonder if they would be interested?

Regards,

James