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RESOLVED: Cabinet authorised
the Executive Director of Resources to undertake a procurement
exercise and award a contract for the provision of Microsoft
software to an authorised supplier, via an Enterprise Service
Agreement, in compliance with the Council’s procurement
processes and procurement legislative requirements.
 
REASONS RESOLVED:

1.    
The Microsoft software portfolio, which includes
products like Microsoft Server, Microsoft SQL Server (database
software), Windows 10 and 11 (desktop software), Microsoft 365
(Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, SharePoint etc), Microsoft Fabric
(Data and Data Analysis), Azure (Cloud computing) and Power
Platform, offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to support
modern business operation. It is a de facto corporate
standard within business and is in very widespread use within Local
Government.

2.    
It is not feasible or practical to replace the
functions that our Microsoft portfolio performs without extremely
high cost and disruption (both short and medium-term).
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

·      
Option 1 – Do Nothing
By allowing
the software licensing to lapse – doing nothing, access to
all Microsoft applications would effectively cease. In addition,
access to files and data stored in the cloud would also cease with
the likelihood that these items would be deleted automatically.
This option is not recommended.
 

·      
Option 2 – Partial
implementation
This is not a
realistic or viable option as having some elements of the Microsoft
software portfolio supported will quickly lead to inconsistencies
and incompatibilities which would significantly hinder business
operations and result in increased expenditure to
resolve.
This
option is not recommended.
 

·      
Option 3 – Full
Implementation
This
is the option recommended – to enter into a new Enterprise
Subscription Agreement that provides support for all the Microsoft
software in use within WNC, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust
(NCT) and Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH).