The Higher Education Authority is sounding out the market to provide web filtering and network security for the Schools Broadband Network which comprises close to 3,900 schools.
The agency has published a PIN notice on the eTenders website inviting interested parties to respond and start a process of technical dialogue. In its notice, the HEA emphasised that this is not a tender – no tender documents are available at this stage. A call for competition will follow “in due course” after the dialogue process, HEAnet said.
HEAnet has tentatively scheduled the 15 August as the start date for the project but this is indicative only. Interested parties will be informed “if and when a start date is confirmed,” the HEA document said. IT providers looking to take part in the dialogue have until 31 May to contact the agency. As this is only a preliminary notice, the PIN doesn’t indicate the possible cost of the project, nor whether it will be awarded as one piece of work or divided into a series of smaller contracts.
HEAnet is Ireland’s National Education and Research Network, providing internet services to Irish Universities, Institutes of Technology and the research and educational community, in addition to all primary and secondary schools in the State.
