Decision details

(i)  Agrees to contract with Microsoft for Phase 1 of the Microsoft 365 roll-out at a maximum cost of the amount specified in Appendix 1.

(ii)  Delegates to the Service Director for Digital and Business Operations, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources and the Service Director for Finance and Commercialisation, to award the contract and implement the project.

(iii)  Delegates to the Service Director for Digital and Business Operations to negotiate reductions in the scope of the work required from Microsoft in order to reduce the total cost of the project.

(iv)  Delegates to the Service Director for Digital and Business Operations to recruit or commission additional temporary IT capacity at a maximum cost of £80,000.

(v)  Approves the addition and spend of the amount defined in Appendix 1 in 2019/20 within the Resources portfolio in the capital programme.

Microsoft is the recommended supplier and the Council has negotiated the stated price. The roll-out will generate productivity benefits as set out in the report together with delivering necessary performance links to other essential software that requires Microsoft 365 compatibility.

1.  Not to roll out Microsoft 365 (referred to as M365 below).  Rejected because a) the Council needs the productivity uplift that will come with adoption of the suite; b) a number of other important projects depend on M365 being rolled out; c) the Council would be wasting its investment in the M365 suite and facing additional licensing costs.

2.  To roll out M365 using internal staff resources.  Not recommended because the Council does not currently have the capacity to roll out the full M365 suite.  This will not deliver the productivity improvement that is sought.

3.  To roll out M365 using an alternative supplier.  Not recommended because it is believed that only contracting with Microsoft will deliver the project outcomes in the required timescale.