Case Study #2503 - Network Refresh Sourcing : Higher Education

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The Situation

The client is a university with a responsibility that span the range of programs from apprenticeships to PhDs. They have an existing network that consists of over 20,000 switch ports and nearly 4,000 Voice over IP telephones supporting the operation of the University on five campuses in Victoria and overseas.

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As part of its network infrastructure refresh program, the university intended to replace some components of the network and to review its existing contract for provision of monitoring and other services related support, as the arrangement had reached end of life and a new contract needed to be established.

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The client required a partner that could provide a procurement process that was complete, thorough and rigorous to issues of probity, and appointed Cherub to deliver all aspects associated with the delivery of this project, from drafting of tender documents through to negotiation of the final contract.

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Our Approach

The university required a “homogenous” solution, that is, consistent infrastructure across the network to minimise effort and problems that may arise from interoperability between models and brands. The university historically used one predominant device manufacturer and wanted to engage with the market to investigate alternative solutions and products.

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Accordingly, Cherub engaged with product manufacturers to source their preferred System Integrator Partners for implementing their products, opening the door for a broader range of solutions that would meet the “homogenous” solution requirement, and allowed university the opportunity to undertake a complete refresh to the new infrastructure if the business case “stacked up”.

 

Cherub's role and responsibility across all projects, was to:

• Develop and maintain project plans, project status meetings and status reports;

• Develop tender documents including Statement of Works, Service levels, reporting and governance schedules for the :

  • Procurement, design, proof of concept, configuration and rollout of new infrastructure and

  • The ongoing monitoring and support of the new infrastructure.

• Conduct a Market Warming of potential suppliers

• Work with the legal department to develop draft contracts

• Develop evaluation criteria (commercial, financial and legal) for short listing to Best and Final Offer (BAFO)

• Manage the evaluation process

• Manage and supporting the due diligence process (supplier presentations, reference checking, site visits, supplier interviews and discovery)

• Manage the Best and Final Offer process, including documentation, evaluation, recommended supplier

• Negotiate contracts

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Client Benefits

The new arrangements provided the university with a number of commercial benefits including:

• Fixed priced for design and implementation of solution

• Fixed price monitoring and support over 5 years

• Improved services, service levels and access to capacity and facilities

• Negotiated training, support and maintenance all inclusive

• Flexibility to extend the rates to future procurement

• Flexibility to avail itself of new services and strategies as they become available or as they are required

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Further Information

For more information, please contact our lead Partner for this engagement.
Contact Us

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