An update on the status of the OCRE 2024 tender process and considerations around existing and future call-off contracts under the current framework.
GÉANT has advised that the evaluation of the large number of bids received for the forthcoming OCRE 2024 framework and is progressing well and on-schedule for the announcement of the outcomes this autumn. It is envisaged that call-off contracts under the new framework should be available from 3 February 2025.
In line with Dutch tendering law, which governs the 2020 OCRE framework, new call-off contracts can be placed at any point up to and including 30 November 2024.
Advice has been provided for the following scenarios:
- Existing call-off contract expires before Q2 2025
- Institutions may take out a new call-off up until 30/11/2024, for up to four years under the terms of the current framework, but may want to consider its duration. For example, an institution may want to check with their current supplier for how long the discounts will continue.
- It is also worth bearing in mind that there may be a different direct-award supplier for the platform in question under OCRE 2024, with different discounts to those currently offered.
- Institutions may therefore want to consider a 12-month duration of any new call-off, allowing time for the new framework to become established.
- New institution wants a call-off before 30/11/2024
- Proceed, but consider its duration as above.
- New institution wants a call-off after 30/11/2024
- Wait until the new framework is live.
For OCRE 2024 there will be up to three suppliers to choose from per platform. Institutions may make a direct award to the top-ranked supplier for each platform. Alternatively, a mini-competition may be run to compare the suppliers for any given platform or across all platforms. Again, institutions will have the right to switch suppliers at any time.
Original Infrastructure Providers (OIPs), where the institution contracts directly with the provider, will also be available, per the current framework.
We look forward to sharing any further developments with you as they become available. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact either your relationship manager or the team at cloudframework@jisc.ac.uk with any queries.