Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Jisc Services Limited
4 Portwall Lane
Bristol
BS1 6NB
Contact
Neil Lewin
Telephone
+44 2081482444
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
02881024
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Jisc Certificate Service
Reference number
Proc2749
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Our organization currently supports over 600 organizations within its membership, encompassing 36,000+ SSL certificates across different types and use cases.
Primary Certificate Types: Primarily Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates are in use. Some members also require Wildcards, along with specific needs for code signing and client authentication certificates.
Volume and Scalability Requirements: High issuance and renewal volumes are anticipated to increase over the coming years, particularly given the evolving SSL standards and frequency requirements. The selected provider(s) must demonstrate scalability to meet these high demands efficiently.
To deliver the Jisc Certificate Service, Jisc requires engagement with a 3rd party provider.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £260,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Jisc intend to enter into a contract with DigiCert for a period of 12 months (initial term).
This contract is being awarded because of the situation outlined in Annex D. Jisc deems that Regulation 32(2)(c) of PCRs 2015 applies.
Jisc has carried out market research and due diligence activities to ensure that DigiCert can meet the high requirements and expectations of Jisc and its Customers.
Jisc reserves the right to consider further extensions to the initial term based on the outcome of further market research and other significant considerations, that may impact the procurement strategy.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated without a prior call for competition
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
In November 2024, Jisc was informed of a potential disruption to the Jisc Certificate Service provided to JSL customers, stemming from an ongoing legal dispute between our supplier (GEANT) and their provider (Sectigo). On December 2, 2024, we received official confirmation, leaving us with only 45 days to find an alternative solution. Subsequently, it was announced that Sectigo had unilaterally terminated the contract between the two parties. Sectigo will cease service provision on January 10, 2025.
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
1
Title
DIGICERT IRELAND LIMITED
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
9 December 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
DIGICERT IRELAND LIMITED
BLOCK 21, BECKETT WAY PARK WEST, BUSINESS PARK
DUBLIN
D12C9YE
Country
Ireland
NUTS code
- IE - Ireland
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £260,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The scope of the framework covers purchases by public sector organisations, including but not limited to the following:
• Higher Education institutions
• Further Education institutions
• Consortiums and any other Organisation or Body whose core purpose is the support or advancement of further or higher education or of research.
• Any other education institute such a School or College
• Multi Academy Trusts and other such organisations established and acting on behalf of Schools and Colleges
• Specialist Colleges
• Research councils and other such organisations (including those established for the provision of both education and research
• Charities and Third sector organisations
• Local Authorities
• Housing Associations
• NHS bodies and bodies acting on behalf of the NHS
• Emergency services and bodies acting on behalf of the NHS
• Regional Broadband Consortia and any other the organisations connected to or eligible to connect to the Janet network.
• JSL, Jisc, any Jisc subsidiaries and its members.
• Any other wider public sector organisation.
This framework is open to organisations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as members of NRENs outside the UK.
Many of the above organisations are members of higher and further education purchasing consortia. These consortia are independent organisations that provide a wide range of collaborative purchase agreements to their member institutions. Any member of one of these consortia will be eligible to purchase from this framework by virtue of its membership, as will members of any other similar purchasing consortium in higher or further education that might be formed during the lifetime of the framework.
The Framework is available for use by any National Research and Education Network (NREN) and the community it serves where the NREN has either a direct connection to Janet or the NREN is a member at any time during the period of this framework, or the consortium that operates GÉANT.
GÉANT is the pan-European research and education network that interconnects Europe’s NRENs. A list of members of the GÉANT consortium (GÉANT Partners) may be found at the URL below. GÉANT may also use this framework.
The framework is available for use by HEAnet, its subsidiaries, member institutions and customers to include schools serviced by the HEAnet school’s network. As HEAnet, the NREN of the Republic of Ireland, is connected both to Janet and is a member of the GÉANT consortium.
Membership lists for existing higher and further education purchasing consortia may be found at:
• https://www.lupc.ac.uk/member-list (https://www.lupc.ac.uk/member-list
• https://www.supc.ac.uk/about-us/our-members/our-members (https://www.supc.ac.uk/about-us/our-members/our-members
• http://www.nwupc.ac.uk/our-members (http://www.nwupc.ac.uk/our-members
• http://www.neupc.ac.uk/members (http://www.neupc.ac.uk/members
• http://www.hepcw.ac.uk/members/ (http://www.hepcw.ac.uk/members/
• http://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk/#!/members (http://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk/#!/members
• https://www.heanet.ie/who-we-are
• https://about.geant.org/membership/members-associates-general-assembly-representatives/
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Jisc
4 Portwall Lane
Bristol
BS1 6NA
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Jisc intend to enter into a contract with DigiCert for a period of 12 months (initial term).
This contract is being awarded because of the situation outlined in Annex D. Jisc deems that Regulation 32(2)(c) of PCRs 2015 applies.
Jisc has carried out market research and due diligence activities to ensure that DigiCert can meet the high requirements and expectations of Jisc and its Customers.
Jisc reserves the right to consider further extensions to the initial term based on the outcome of further market research and other significant considerations, that may impact the procurement strategy.