Cabinet Office launches procurement for new PSN framework

Charlotte Jee | Oct. 21, 2014

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is seeking suppliers for a replacement framework for the Public Services Network (PSN).

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is seeking suppliers for a replacement framework for the Public Services Network (PSN).

The tender for the framework was originally supposed to launch earlier this month but was affected by unexplained delays.

PSN aims to create a single ICT infrastructure for all UK public sector organisations. The Government Digital Service (GDS) is in charge of the everyday operation of the scheme, with CCS running procurement.

The government hopes it will help to reduce the 2.5 billion the public sector spends on telecoms every year and enable more efficient, joined-up public services.

The framework, named 'Network Services', will be open to the entire public sector and valued at between 100 million to 2 billion depending on the number of call-off contracts, according to a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

It will replace the existing 'PSN Connectivity' framework launched in April 2012 and 'PSN Services', which went live in June 2012.

Network Services is expected to launch in March 2015 and run for up to four years. Public sector bodies will be able to buy services from 10 lots, with a maximum of 25 suppliers offering services in each lot.

The lots cover services for data access, local connectivity, traditional telephony, inbound telephony, IP telephony solutions, mobile voice and data, paging, video conferencing, audio conferencing and integrated communications.

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Cabinet Office launches procurement for new PSN framework