The Wide Area Network service contract for Herefordshire Council and partners is due for renewal in March 2014. The contract is currently managed by Updata Infrastructure UK Ltd, which costs the Council approximately £435,000 per annum. Herefordshire Council are working with Hoople to ensure that the replacement contract delivers value for money. One of the collaborative options available to the Council will require full commitment to contractually engage by August 8th 2013. Full details of the proposal will not be available for Cabinet.

Cabinet is asked to agree the approach and delegate decision making about the preferred option to the Assistant Director People, Policy & Partnerships in order that the timeline for this work can be achieved. This decision will be made after consideration by the IM&T Board (29^th July 2013), and in consultation with the Cabinet Member Highways and Transport, Chief Financial Officer and Solicitor to the Council (31^st July 2013). This decision can only be made when in full knowledge of the proposed contract details which will not be available at time of cabinet report, and needs to be made by the 8^th August to comply with one of the option requirements.

The appendix to this report provides an update on the progress made towards re-procuring a Network Connectivity contract for Herefordshire Council in time for the current contract end date of March 2014.