Fixed Telephony Services

 

Details

Overview

This is a national multi contractor framework for Fixed Line Telephony Services.

What is in scope?
  • Voice minutes
  • Line rentals
  • Additional related services such as DDI (Direct Dial Interface) provision, integrated fixed-mobile telephony services, non-geographic numbers, 118 enquiries, billing services and cost management facilities
  • Broadband based solutions and bundled packages (limited to the services listed above) may also be included

plus:

  • Broadband based voice solutions
  • Integrated fixed-mobile telephony services
  • Premium rate numbers
  • Cost management facilities
  • Bundled packages (limited to the services listed above)

What is out of scope?
  • Point to point circuits
  • Leased lines
  • Mobile phones
  • PBX and data networking equipment not required for the provision of a broadband based solution
  • Maintenance of such equipment

Who is this available to?
  • Central government
  • Fire
  • Health
  • Local authorities
  • Police
  • Universities and colleges
  • Third sector
  • Other public bodies

Full details can be found on Public Contracts Scotland

Note: It is the responsibility of any buying organisation wishing to use the Framework Agreement to satisfy itself that it is eligible to do so. Entitlement can be established from the terms of the OJEU advert and guidance on this can be found in Annex A of Scottish Government Guidance on Framework Agreements. If there is any doubt, legal advice should be sought.

Benefits
  • Financial - The framework delivers significant financial benefit, with migrated organisations averaging 30% cost savings on calls and lines.
  • The framework delivers national pricing and provides an opportunity for the Scottish public sector to reduce pricing disparities. The framework pricing is benchmarked at least every 6 months when price reductions can be implemented.
  • Public bodies, whose current provider is a contractor on the framework, can improve their current terms and pricing within 3 weeks by migrating to the framework. Typically up to 20% savings delivered through direct migration.
  • Free billing & audit service - All four suppliers on the Fixed Telephony Service framework provide billing audits as a free of charge service. All you have to do is provide your current bill to the suppliers and within days a well produced report from independent companies will be provided that shows how much you would spend on the Scottish Procurement set of tariffs.
  • Cost of change - The framework contractors provide Scottish public bodies with direct and indirect network options. All the Contractors utilise BT Openreach as their indirect option and infrastructure is already established across Scotland, significantly reducing any cost of change to public bodies.
  • Contract management - Scottish public bodies utilising the framework will have greater transparency over pricing and service delivery. A set of robust and standardised Service Level Agreements have been agreed and anagement Information will be regularly produced as part of the agreement.
  • Procurement process - The framework significantly reduces the time to procure. With only 4 contractors time required for mini competition can be significantly reduced compared with other multi supplier frameworks. Direct Award is a beneficial option,  Scottish Procurement have created an easy to use comparator tool for organisations to establish quickly the most economically advantageous contractor to award too.
  • Environmental - The framework will deliver against environmental objectives including electronic billing, green minutes and local engineers.

Current status
Start date

01 April 2010

End date

31 March 2012 (a 12 month extension to March 2013 has been taken up, a further 12 month optional extension is available thereafter)

Further details

Contact and feedback to:

Julie Gordon - Senior Portfolio Specialist
Email: julie.gordon@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 3756

Contract Supplier(s)

Contract or Framework Agreement guidance

Buyers Guide: provides buying organisations with simplified, user-friendly guidance on the framework agreement including routes to buy, mini competition advice and frequently asked questions

The contractor catalogue has an overview of each contractor's offerings with contact details, tariffs and ordering processes.

This has been developed to assist organisations and is available upon request from - Julie.Gordon@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Organisations should contact their sector Centre of Expertise for access to the Terms and Conditions. Those organisations not affiliated with a Centre of Expertise should contact Scottish Procurement directly.

If you have previously registered for access to our secure stakeholder sharepoint site then you can access the documents directly. If not, please contact jim.thomson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk to obtain a user name and password.

Mini competition form:

The mini competition form to can be used to assist organisations and suppliers through the process. Organisations can insert detailed requirements into the relevant areas and submit to supplier to provide a response in the same format.

Order forms:

Created to assist organisations and individuals when conducting mini competitions or direct buys. Organisations may wish to refine the order form to suit the levels of information required for their particular mini competition.

Order form for conducting direct buys - template

Order form for conducting mini competitions - template

Free billing & audit service

 

More information

For further information please contact the named individuals above.

 

Page updated: Monday, February 13, 2012