NFRS 2023 02 - Software hosting

You asked for:

As per my records, Microsoft hosting contract has expired. I would like to know whether this contract is still valid or replaced by any other supplier.

If all the information besides the contract dates are the same, I am happy to just receive an update on the contract dates

Below highlighted original FOI request for your reference only.

I wish to submit a request to the organisation around their hosting contract(s) with 3rd party providers.

The type of contract I wish to see is below:

Dedicated hosting- Managed environment
Co-Location- hosting allows a business to still own their own server equipment; however, instead of storing it in their own data centre, they instead are able to store it in rented space in a colocation hosting centre.
Cloud Hosting- Cloud hosting services provide hosting for websites on virtual servers, which pull their computing resources from extensive underlying networks of physical web servers.

Not all of these will be applicable to the organisation.

Type of hosting – Dedicated, Co-Location, Cloud Hosting, Other?
Who is the supplier of the contract? If possible, can you also provide me with the name of the vendor, if applicable?
What is the annual contract value for each contract?
What type of cloud environment? Private Cloud- a distinct and secure cloud-based environment in which only the specified client can operate. Public Cloud - where cloud services are provided in a virtualized environment, constructed using pooled shared physical resources, and accessible over a public network such as the internet. Hybrid- integrated cloud service utilising both private and public clouds to perform distinct functions within the same organisation.
What is the original start date of the contract agreement? If there are more than one contract, please provide me with the start date for each contract.
What is the actual expiry date of the contract agreement? If there are more than one contract, please provide me with the expiry date for each contract.
When will the organisation plan to review this contract? If there are more than one contract, please provide me with the review date for each contract.
What is the contract period in years? Please include whether the agreement has any extension periods?
What services are provided under the contract? Please do not put hosting information such as web hosting, file storage, hosted application. The more information the better,
Can you please provide me with the contract officer responsible for this contract? Complete contact details, if possible, name, title, contact email and number

Our Response:

Type of hosting – Dedicated, Co-Location, Cloud Hosting, Other?
Answer: - Cloud.
Who is the supplier of the contract? If possible can you also provide me with the name of the vendor, if applicable?
Answer: - Bytes Software Services Limited.
What is the annual contract value for each contract?
Answer: - Exempt by virtue of section 21, please refer to the below.
What type of cloud environment?
Answer: - Hybrid.
What is the original start date of the contract agreement? If there are more than one contract please provide me with the start date for each contract.
Answer: - Exempt by virtue of section 21, please refer to the below.
What is the actual expiry date of the contract agreement? If there are more than one contract please provide me with the expiry date for each contract.
Answer: - Exempt by virtue of section 21, please refer to the below.
When will the organisation plan to review this contract? If there are more than one contract please provide me with the review date for each contract.
Answer: - Exempt by virtue of section 21, please refer to the below.
What is the contract period in years? Please include whether the agreement has any extension periods?
Answer: - Exempt by virtue of section 21, please refer to the below.
What services are provided under the contract? Please do not put hosting information such as web hosting, file storage, hosted application. The more information the better,
Answer: - MICROSOFT SOFTWARE FRAMEWORK Y17038 (Lot 1) Software Products & Associated Services – Microsoft Azure, Full data centre functions
Can you please provide me with the contract officer responsible for this contract? Complete contact details if possible name, title, contact email and number.
Answer: - ICT department manages the contract, 0115 838 8100, enquiries@notts-fire.gov.uk

Some of the information requested has been deemed exempt by virtue of section 21(1) Information reasonably accessible by other means, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

21. Information accessible to applicant by other means.

Information which is reasonably accessible to the applicant otherwise than under section 1 is exempt information.
For the purposes of subsection (1)—
1. Information may be reasonably accessible to the applicant even though it is accessible only on payment, and
2. Information is to be taken to be reasonably accessible to the applicant if it is information which the public authority or any other person is obliged by or under any enactment to communicate (otherwise than by making the information available for inspection) to members of the public on request, whether free of charge or on payment.
For the purposes of subsection (1), information which is held by a public authority and does not fall within subsection (2)(b) is not to be regarded as reasonably accessible to the applicant merely because the information is available from the public authority itself on request, unless the information is made available in accordance with the authority’s publication scheme and any payment required is specified in, or determined in accordance with, the scheme.

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is categorised as an Absolute and Class Based type exemption and therefore does not require a public interest test to be carried nor must Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service articulate the harm in disclosure.

The information requested can be accessed on our Procurement and Resources page.