Scope
Description
NIFRS has a requirement to renew licensing, hosting, support and maintenance for the Electronic Retained Availability system (ERAS). This system provides NIFRS with enhanced operational assurance in mobilising ~900 retained (On-Call) personnel.
ERAS (in the form of the Gartan Availability solution) was supplied by and is supported by Gartan Technologies. Gartan has been the sole supplier of support and maintenance for this system and therefore possess expert knowledge of the design, configuration and interdependencies with other systems and is therefore the only supplier who can provide updates, technical services, support and training on this system.
This supplier holds the Source Code for this system and therefore is the only supplier able to provide the required support and maintenance.
NIFRS' existing licensing contract expires at the end of December 2025. Originally it did not include hosting as it was hosted on NIFRS servers. However, it moved to being a Cloud hosted service mid-way through 2024 and so the hosting expires at the end of April 2025.
This DAC is required to continue the provision of this service / solution whilst a full business case is approved and solution procured for a new Crewing and Payments System which will include functionality to manage On-Call availability. To ensure business continuity is maintained until the new system is live, the following services are required:
- Cloud hosting for Gartan Availability solution from 1st May 2025 until 31st Dec 2025 to align with current licensing contract.
- Cloud hosting and licensing for Gartan Availability from 1 Jan 2026 to 31 Dec 2026 with optional 1 year extension until 31 Dec 2027.
Contract 1. Gartan Availability (Electronic Retained Availability System) Hosting and Licensing
Supplier
Contract value
- £106,892 excluding VAT
- £128,270.40 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
12 May 2025
Contract dates (estimated)
- 21 May 2025 to 31 December 2026
- Possible extension to 31 December 2027
- 2 years, 7 months, 11 days
Description of possible extension:
Cloud hosting and licensing for Gartan Availability from 1 Jan 2026 to 31 Dec 2026 with optional 1 year extension until 31 Dec 2027.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Contract locations
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - without competition
Special regime
Concession
Supplier
Gartan Technologies
Enterprise Fund Business Centre,
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland
ireland
Ireland
Telephone: +353 (74) 91 266 08
Email: info@gartantech.com
Contract 1. Gartan Availability (Electronic Retained Availability System) Hosting and Licensing
Contracting authority
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLBR-6377-MHGZ
1 Seymour Street
Lisburn
BT27 4SX
United Kingdom
Email: NIFRSProcurement@nifrs.org
Region: UKN0E - Lisburn and Castlereagh
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland