Network Services 2

Telecommunications services including networks for the entire public sector, their associated bodies and agencies, the voluntary sector and charities.  

Updates

13/01/2022: The RM6261 Mobile Voice and Data Services agreement has now been awarded. For details, view the press release. The agreement is now live. To find out more, visit the RM6261 webpage.

28/11/2022: Ofcom and the government and mobile network operators have provided information about sunsetting 2G and 3G networks. To find out more, read:

21/04/2022: Our latest on-demand customer webinar: ‘Network Services 2 buyer’s guide to further competition’ is now available. Watch the webinar on our Youtube channel.

20/04/2022: Watch our latest customer webinar: ‘Network Services: drafting your statement of requirements’ on our website. Alternatively you can watch it on our Youtube channel.

04/11/2021: Our latest on-demand customer webinar: ‘Network Services 2 buyer’s guide to direct award’ is now available. Watch the webinar on the CCS Youtube channel.

07/06/2021: You can now access our on-demand customer webinar which provides an overview of Network Services 2. Watch our customer webinar 

10/07/2020: New guidance has been published on the options available for complex needs which cover multiple Lots. These include Lot 10 (Unified Communications), cross-lot procurements and procuring primary and ancillary services. For further information read ‘RM3808 Guidance on compliant procurement options for Lot 10’ in the documents section below.

Description

This agreement offers customers a range of primary and ancillary services* including:

  • voice and data provision
  • internet access
  • WiFi
  • radio
  • security and surveillance
  • audio and video conferencing
  • equipment
  • maintenance and support services

*Primary services are the main services and function of a particular lot. Ancillary services are any services which support the primary services, such as equipment, maintenance or support services.

You can access specialist suppliers who deliver the services under individual lots, as well as multiple services across a number of lots.

Note: All NHS organisations need to buy HSCN connectivity services through Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) compliant suppliers on this agreement. HSCN is the data network that replaces N3. 

If you are buying for health and care organisations you can also use the HSCN Access Services DPS (RM3825).

The OJEU notice for Networks Services 2 can be found on Contracts Finder.

Benefits

  • flexible contract lengths – up to 10 years for some services
  • supports your organisation’s technology upgrade programme
  • savings from lower cost and or more efficient technologies
  • option for both direct award or further competition to meet your needs
  • option to choose specialist suppliers who can deliver services under one specific lot, as well as suppliers who can provide multiple services across several lots
  • uses the agreed Public Sector Contract (PSC) terms and conditions

Carbon Reduction

Some of the suppliers for this agreement have agreed to comply with the Procurement Policy Note 06/21: 'Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts'. If a supplier has published a carbon reduction plan, you can find it on their individual supplier details page.

Products and suppliers

There are 89 suppliers on this agreement

Lot 1: Data access services
Connectivity services: site-to-site or site-to-cloud. Includes terrestrial, wireless and satellite solutions, software designed networking, network security, connectivity circuits, IP connectivity, ISP and internet services, and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

37 suppliers

Lot 2: Local connectivity services
Single site connectivity: local connectivity services and LAN connectivity services for a single site, multiple sites in the same place etc. Includes SAN equipment, wired or wireless connectivity, plus specialised power solutions, managed equipment rooms, monitoring, audit and testing services, security and operational management solutions, and equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

35 suppliers

Lot 3: Traditional telephony services
Voice services connecting local traditional telephony equipment with public network. Includes traditional voice connectivity, voice call packages, SIP trunks, DDI ranges, CPS services and equipment maintenance and support for legacy estates.

Expires:

25 suppliers

Lot 4: Inbound telephony services
Inbound call management services for established local call centre functions including non-geographical numbers such as 03xx, 05xx, 08xx and 09xx and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

26 suppliers

Lot 5: IP telephony services
Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony services with the ability to make and receive telephone calls by the transmission of voice over an IP based network service, including breakout to PSTN. Voice call packages, direct dial (DD) ranges and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

35 suppliers

Lot 6: Mobile voice and data services
Including voice calls and voicemail, SMS, mobile email, mobile data connectivity and applications, value-added mobile services and mobile device management and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

16 suppliers

Lot 7: Paging and alerting services
Paging, mobile messaging and alerting services including bureau services and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

8 suppliers

Lot 8: Video conferencing services
Traditional and IP based audio-visual conferencing services. Includes consultancy and training services, software management tools, call recording, analysis tools, peripheral equipment, transcribing and translation services.

Expires:

24 suppliers

Lot 9: Audio conferencing services
Includes call recording, playback, analysis tools, the ability to reserve and pre-book, coded access references, peripheral equipment, software, management tools, security access products, collaboration tools, transcribing and translation services.

Expires:

23 suppliers

Lot 10: Unified communications
The provision of unified communications to provide a consistent user interface across multiple devices providing a cohesive end user experience in accessing two or more of the Primary Services from the following lots: lot 5, lot 6, lot 8 and lot 9.

Expires:

41 suppliers

Lot 11: Radio services
A voice communication solution utilising UHF, and/or VHF radio frequency bands and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

6 suppliers

Lot 12: Security and surveillance services
Includes the provision of CCTV and physical security monitoring equipment, including services to access real time audio and video activities and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

8 suppliers

Lot 13: Contact centre services
The provision of call/contact centre services for the use of Buyer employees only. With the ability to make outbound contact and respond to an incoming contact and route the contact to a predefined destination and associated equipment maintenance and support services.

Expires:

38 suppliers

How to buy

There are 13 lots. Some suppliers can deliver across a number of lots, others offer solutions in just one lot. 

There are three ways to buy:

  1. Direct award from the catalogue
  • available on all lots and suitable for straightforward requirements – this can include cross-Lot procurements.
  • supplier offers are shown in the government marketplace – if you currently use Basware you should already be able to access the catalogue.
  2. Further competition
  • use for all your requirements
  • can be used when your requirement covers multiple lots of the RM3808 agreement
  • should be used when you need suppliers to develop proposals or solutions to meet your statement of requirements
  • further competition helps you to amend or refine a wider range of the template call-off terms and conditions, giving you more flexibility when defining your statement of requirements

3. Aggregation

  • we use our complementary aggregation service to bring together customers with similar requirements
  • we leverage the volume to create greater commercial benefits for customers
  • we manage the procurement process from start to finish
  • case studies on successful aggregations are available to download below
  • email aggregation@crowncommercial.gov.uk for more information

Documents