What Is RM3808 / Network Services 2?

• A procurement framework that makes it far easier for UK public sector organisations to buy network services such as Wide Area Networks and Telephony.
• It was created by Crown Commercial Service, an executive agency of the UK Cabinet Office that's tasked with helping the public sector secure better value for money.

Benefits of RM3808

• Better Pricing - The framework increases the number of suppliers means more competition and better pricing.
• Greater Choice of Supplier - Don't rate your current supplier? RM3808 helps you find credible alternatives, fast.
• Less Risk - Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has vetted the suppliers, weeding out the less capable.
• Less Procurement Bureaucracy - CCS's already defined the services, published in the OJEU, run an EU-compliant tender process and fairly selected winners - the firms listed on the framework
• Faster Procurement - No need to wait months for tender responses. You could finish the procurement process in as little as 10 days.
• Reasonable Terms - Suppliers have agreed to offer services under terms & conditions written by Crown Commercial Service

Why RM3808's Needed

• Historical, the public sector has often paid too much for it's technology, ending up with contracts that are too inflexible, too long and too expensive.
• Public procurement rules forced most technology purchases to be put out to tender, with a notice appearing publicly in OJEU.
• Sadly, many tenders were so detailed, and tilted towards criteria favouring the largest suppliers that most eligible suppliers decided it wasn't worth bidding
• The result: Limited competition, with a few large firms walking away with most contracts, at inflated prices.
• Attempts to get better value by aggregating demand also had a mixed record, with it leading with tenders so massive only the largest suppliers could credibly deliver
• To fix this, the Crown Commercial Service created framework agreements, including RM3808.

How RM3808 Helps

• Commoditisation - Buyers are encouraged to buy standardised services and sellers are encouraged to offer such services. This results in lower bidding costs, easier comparison of suppliers, lower margins and lower barriers to supplier switching.
• Disaggregation - Services are categorised into broad contestable lots. If you would like services from lots 1, 2 and 3, you'd buy lot 1 services from lot 1 suppliers, lot 2 services from lot 2, and lot 3 services from lot 3 suppliers. This increases competition, as it stops the tender process being rigged in favour of one or two suppliers who are large enough to have a finger in every pie.
• Increasing Supplier Numbers - By asking suppliers to submit just one long, detailed tender response, rather than one per bid, CCS has encouraged many medium-sized SMEs to consider selling to the public sector. This has increased choice and pushed down prices.
• Centralising Supplier Pre-Vetting - Crown Commercial Service has done extensive due diligence for you, making life easier for you and your potential suppliers.
• Helping Non-Giant Suppliers To Grow - Taxpayer funds aren't just going to the big firms now. They're going to their smaller rivals, helping make the market more competitive.

Lots

Lot 1: Data access (including WANs)
Lot 2: Local connectivity
Lot 3: Traditional telephony (including SIP Trunks, DDI ranges)
Lot 4: Inbound Telephony
Lot 5: IP Telephony
Lot 6: Mobile voice and data
Lot 7: Paging and alerting
Lot 8: Video conferencing
Lot 9: Audio conferencing
Lot 10: Unified communications
Lot 11: Radio
Lot 12: Security and surveillance
Lot 13: Call Centre

• We're on lots 1 and 3.

Related Frameworks / Schemes

• G-Cloud 12 - Covers cloud computing services and software, including related consultancy.
• Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) - A network designed for Health and Social Care organisations. Set up by NHS Digital.
• Crown Hosting Data Centres - A joint venture between the Cabinet Office and a data centre operator to provide colocation
• hSo can help you with all the above schemes as we're an RM3808-listed connectivity supplier, we're on the G-Cloud 12 framework, we're a Health and Social Care Network consumer-network service provider and we're in Crown Hosting data centres.

Why hSo?

• Experienced -
• VMware Based Clouds -
• Collaborative Approach -
• Tailored Hosting -
• Hybrid Cloud Compatible -
• Safety & Security -
• Capabilities Beyond Hosting -

Next Steps

1. Contact Us - Click the orange button above to let us know how to contact you. Or call 020 7847 4510
2. Initial Discussion - We'll discuss what you're looking to improve your network and what your options are
3. Follow-up Discussions - Typically, you'll want additional technical discussions to help you craft a Statement of Requirements
4. Direct Award from Catalogue? - For low value, urgent requirements, and low volume commodity goods without bundling discounts. No proposals
5. Further Competition? - The most common route. You talk to suppliers, craft a Statement of Requirements and ask suppliers to submit proposals
6. Decision Made, Notice Given - 'Intention to award' published. Standstill period of 10+ days begins. Publish 'Contract Award Notice'
7. Service Provisioning Starts - We document the solution and migration plan, and arrange for circuits to be installed and equipment shipped
8. Service Goes Live - hSo's 24/7 Customer Service Centre starts monitoring the service. You have visibility through our portal