Lot 1

Networking
& Security



Lot 2

Unified Comms and Voice Solutions



Lot 3

Total Communications Solutions



Lot 4

Mobile
Communications



Lot 5

Community WiFi & Digital Inclusion Solutions

Procurement frameworks can be beneficial for housing providers and local authorities in the UK for several reasons:

Removing The Tender Headache

Procurement frameworks provide pre-approved lists of suppliers who have gone through a rigorous selection process. This saves housing providers time and effort in conducting individual procurement exercises. The frameworks often include pre-negotiated terms and conditions, pricing structures, and service level agreements, making the procurement process more efficient.

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Cost Savings

Procurement frameworks enable housing providers to benefit from economies of scale. By aggregating demand across multiple housing providers, frameworks can negotiate better prices, discounts, and favourable terms with suppliers. This helps housing providers achieve cost savings and maximise their budgets.

Quality Assurance

Frameworks typically have strict qualification criteria for suppliers, ensuring that only reputable and competent providers are included. Housing providers can have confidence in the quality of goods and services procured through the framework, as suppliers have already undergone a robust selection process. This reduces the risk of procuring substandard products or services

Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Requirements:

Housing providers have a responsibility to comply with various legal and regulatory frameworks in their procurement activities. Procurement frameworks often have built-in compliance measures, such as adherence to EU procurement regulations, public sector procurement rules, or specific housing regulations. Utilising frameworks help housing providers ensure compliance and avoid legal complications.

Access to Innovation and Expertise

Procurement frameworks often include suppliers with specialised knowledge and expertise in the housing sector. This provides housing providers with access to the latest technologies, innovative solutions, and best practices. Frameworks facilitate collaboration with experienced suppliers who can offer insights and guidance to improve service delivery and enhance the quality of housing provision.

Time and Resource Savings

By utilising procurement frameworks, housing providers can save significant time and resources that would otherwise be spent on conducting their own procurement exercises. Frameworks provide a ready-made procurement structure, documentation templates, and a pre-qualified pool of suppliers, allowing housing providers to focus on other strategic activities and core business functions.

Overall, procurement frameworks offer housing providers in the UK a range of benefits, including streamlined procurement processes, cost savings, quality assurance, compliance, access to expertise, and time/resource efficiencies. They enable housing providers to deliver effective and value-for-money services to their residents while meeting their legal and regulatory obligations.

About Procurement for Housing

PfH is a national procurement consortium dedicated to driving efficiency and improving procurement practices for more than 900 social housing providers and local authorities throughout the UK. Managing the purchasing and supply of almost £4 million of goods and services every week, the consortium identifies £55 million in savings a year for its members.

The Telecommunications Framework Agreement - What's Covered?

This framework covers a range of solutions designed to provide a comprehensive end-to-end communications infrastructure, hardware and supporting service solutions.

Following an EU-compliant tender process for the framework, Social Telecoms is the no.1 ranked supplier on each of the following five lots.  This means a PfH member can select Social Telecoms for a direct call-off, and side-step the requirement for an OJEU tender exercise.

Lot structure

The framework Provides members with a full range of inclusive goods and service provisions either directly or via third parties, which will include installation, maintenance, disposal and any associated services and solution
including but not limited to:

Lot 1 - Networking and Security

Work Securely, Anywhere, Anytime. A range of industry-leading solutions and services which help protect your data, reduce cyber risk and ensure compliance.

  • Data connectivity including broadband, FTTx, Ethernet Circuits
  • ISDN, PSTN, SD-WAN.
  • Security solutions - Firewalls, Anti-Virus and Virtual Private Network (VPN).
  • Disaster Recovery solutions - back up, replication and recovery.
  • Cloud Hosting.
  • Private Clouds, Co-location and Managed Hosting.
  • Local Area Networking (LAN) and Wi-Fi.
  • Power Systems.
  • Associated Hardware – including but not limited to laptops, tablets, routers, servers, including associated accessories and connectivity requirements.
  • Associated Services – including the provision of technical specialists, training, helpdesk support, managed equipment rooms, survey, installation, maintenance and decommissioning.

Lot 2 - Unified Comms & Voice Solutions

Maximise agility and flexibility for your housing organisation with UCaaS, Contact Centre with Omnichannel communications, AI chatbots and workforce management.

  • Voice solutions - including hosted seats, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), SIP, and SIP Trunking.
  • Call Centre solutions - software, hardware and associated connectivity and services on a local, remote or hybrid basis.
  • Contact Centre solutions - software, hardware and associated connectivity and services on a local, remote or hybrid basis.
  • Unified Communications - software, hardware, associated connectivity and/or integration and associated services on a local, remote or hybrid basis.
  • Associated Hardware – including but not limited to handsets, headsets, laptops, tablets, routers, servers, accessories and connectivity requirements.
  • Associated Services – including the provision of technical specialists, training, helpdesk support, surveys, installation, maintenance and decommissioning.
  • Teleconference and Videoconferencing solutions
  • Fully outsource Call-Centre including the associated data and information as is reasonably requested by the Customer.
  • Integration, development, including but not limited to AI and RPA.

Lot 3 - Total Communications Solutions

Lot 3 offers members the opportunity to call off requirements for services spanning both Lot 1 and 2, enabling both the member and supplier to develop and implement a total Communications solution under the remit of a single supplier.

Lot 4 - Mobile Communications

From headset to handset, home-working or on the road, we know that housing providers and local authorities need flexible connectivity to keep your people, residents and suppliers connected any time, from anywhere.

  • 3G, 4G & 5G Connectivity
  • Voice & Data bundles including the provision of SIMs.
  • Mobile Device Hardware - Phones and tablet computers, accessories, and other associated hardware and repair services.
  • Mobile Broadband.
  • The provision of associated mobile communications systems and software including but not limited to
  • ▶ Mobile device management
  • ▶ Mobile call recording
  • ▶ Mobile conference calling
  • ▶ Anti-virus software
  • ▶ Mobile cloud storage and sharing services;
  • ▶ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions including license provision and associated services.
  • ▶ Mobile Device Deployment Services - configuration and deployment
  • Associated advisory and consultancy services

Lot 5 - Community WiFi & Digital Inclusion

Bridge the digital divide in a more affordable way.

  • Community Connectivity;
  • Site-based Community Wi-Fi.
  • Neighbourhood Wi-Fi –estate or other locality with the intention of the local community to access the internet. This may be on the basis of a Customer led or a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) basis for the end user. This facility may also include connectivity for staff and guests as confirmed by the Customer.
  • Local Authority or other Wi-Fi - including connectivity for high streets and regional locations via various connectivity technologies utilising already existing assets or new installations.
  • Tablet computers with mobile data connectivity with pre-defined controls.
  • Mobile connectivity for those with hardware on a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) basis.
  • Training and education services – upskilling and building upon tenants (and/or any other groups) knowledge and skills either in person or remotely.
  • Online software education solutions.
  • Advisory services regarding appropriate grants and funding mechanisms.

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