Strategic Microsoft Partner

The Guinness Partnership (TGP) is running this procurement to put a Framework Agreement with a panel of IT skills and knowledge specialists as may be required to support the business. TGP are looking for Partners with core Microsoft skills and competencies, primarily D365, but also to cover other Microsoft applications and infrastructure including SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, DevOps, and the Azure platform. The Strategic Microsoft Partners will be required to bring experience within the sector, with the expectation that they are certified via the new Microsoft Solutions Partner designations (or can evidence the legacy capabilities that translate towards these), which provides Guinness with assurance that the Partner brings the appropriate level of performance, skilling, and customer success to the relationship.

The proposed Framework will consist of 2 Lots, these Lots are:

Lot 1 - Dynamics 365

The scope of this lot will include:

To deliver solutions with Dynamics 365 and Power Platform; ongoing management services for Dynamics 365, Business Central, Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents,

Lot 2 - Azure Capabilities

The scope of this Lot will include:

Data & AI, demonstrate capability helping Housing Sector customers manage data across multiple systems and potentially to build out analytics and AI solutions.

Digital & App Innovation, demonstrate helping Housing Sector customers build, run, and manage applications across multiple clouds, on premises or in a hybrid framework, you can evidence support within the Housing Sector migrating and deploying DevOps while using Azure, managing app services in Azure.

Infrastructure, demonstrate helping Housing Sector customers with migration of key infrastructure workloads to Microsoft Azure

The opportunity will be conducted using the Restricted Procedure and advertised as two (2) separate Lots, however potential suppliers will be able to bid for all Lots. Each Lot will have 3 suppliers on it.

The framework will be accessible to all housing associations across England (details of applicable Contracting Authorities are included in the Contract Notice published on the Find a Tender portal).

The maximum duration of the Framework Agreement shall be for 48 months (4 years). The total value of this Framework shall be £16,000,000, Guinness's estimated spend under this Framework shall be £4,000,000, with £12,000,000 available to all other housing associations across England to spend.

Interested parties can access the Selection Questionnaire documents via Guinness' tender portal - https://procontract.due-north.com/ (free and unfettered access)