The Academy was part of the wider Rochdale Building Schools for the Future programme, which included a 5 year ICT managed service contract and a ICT service, which was delivered from a central data centre, which was designed to support all secondary schools in Rochdale. However, due to a number of reasons, the original managed service contract had been amended and a new service, with revised costs had been proposed to the Academy. The academy sponsor and senior management team concluded that the new contract no longer offered value for money. We were asked to support the academy in finding an alternative ICT managed service provider, and to migrate all ICT services from the central data back into the academy. This included:

• Assist with the formal termination of the ICT managed service contract.
• Develop a structured exit strategy for summer 2012.
• Assess the current ICT systems, both locally and at the data centre, against the academy’s strategic vision for ICT. Make recommendations as appropriate.
• Develop a technical specification document, detailing the systems and services that need to be migrated in-house for summer 2012.
• Develop all procurement documentation and manage an EU-compliant tender process to appoint a suitable ICT partner for the migration works and ongoing managed service.
• Co-ordinate the negotiations with the preferred ICT partner, through to contract award.

"CAA provided us with expert guidance through a complicated contractual transition from one Managed Service Provider to another. Their hands-on support throughout the procurement and handover process was invaluable; we couldn't have done it without them."

Donna Shepherd, Director of Finance