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Invoke extension clause of current software
partner contract to provide core software licensing across the
Council.

Reasons for the decision

In 2022, the Council signed a contract with
Softcat PLC to provide some of the Council’s core software
licensing. This contract included a 1-year extension option. The
Council has separately awarded Microsoft licensing to another
partner as part of a Crown Commercial Services aggregation exercise
in 2025. Other general licensing needs however remain, for software
such as Salesforce and Adobe, which therefore require a
contract.

Alternative options considered

As the extension clause of the existing
contract offers a continuation of the agreement awarded following a
tender in 2022, it was not considered value-for-money to conduct a
new tender at this time.