Soft Market Testing for Identity and Access Management Consultation

Description

This is a Soft Market Test being conducted by the University of Southampton, this is not an invitation to tender. Project Description The University of Southampton (UoS) has recently launched a new strategic plan that has significant growth focused on Transnational partnerships. This growth and added complexity in roles and relationships will increase pressure on digital business processes and underlying identity infrastructure. The University's IT department, "iSolutions", developed an internal identity management system (IDM) in 2016, and a significant challenge around the implementation of this programme was focused on governance of identities and business processes, rather than the technology. The University operates a highly complex digital operating environment, with a wide range of identity types requiring access to high value digital services. The identity project in 2016 was partially successful in defining identities and their management, but for a variety of reasons some identities were not clearly defined, and accountabilities were not set. These have since fallen into a digital bucket that iSolutions endeavours to maintain to the best of its ability. Considering the changes that will be delivered as part of the new University strategy, there is a need to re-visit the previous identity project and finalise uncategorised identities, their ownership and address the sustainability of the University identity system. The University are looking to utilise specialist experts in IAM to review and advise on existing external vendor products, including their capabilities, maturity, and implementation architecture, as well as conducting an analysis of our current home-grown IDM system, with the intention of either purchasing a new system or investing in our current IDM platform. The University has an existing reliance on Microsoft Azure AD / Entra capability for authentication and access management, with cross tenant 'P2' level licensing. There is little desire to move away from Entra unless significant benefits are apparent in competing platforms. We require a supplier with experience operating within Higher Education, or who have worked with public sector bodies with equivalent complex identity landscapes. Document to be returned as part of this Soft Market Testing - IDAM Soft Market Testing Questionnaire 2023UoS-0793 The deadline for clarifications is 11/07/2023 at 12.00 Noon, the deadline for Questionnaire submissions is 18/07/2023 at 12.00 Noon. Additional information: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool (In-Tend: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) and to communicate with participating organisations. All documentation in relation to this SMTE can be downloaded from In-Tend. Participating organisations are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued to organisations and all communications with the University will be conducted via In-Tend. Regular monitoring of In-Tend is the responsibility of the participating organisation. If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the SMTE documentation. Once you have logged in: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your company against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'. Further instructions for the submission of soft market event forms are below. To submit your return, please follow the instructions below: 1. Log In 2. Click 'Tenders' 3. Locate the relevant project 4. View Details 5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g., 'Soft Market Testing') 6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return. 7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the "My Tender Return" panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return. 8. Click the red "Submit Return" button. Please note that, to preserve the integrity of the soft market testing exercise, all queries must made be via the correspondence function within In-Tend. This Prior information Notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting pre-procurement market engagement and does not constitute any commitment to undertake any procurement in the future. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to the PIN event and a response to this PIN does not guarantee any invitation to participate in this event or any future procurement. This PIN does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works mentioned in this PIN and the University will not accept any proposals offered in response to this PIN. The University of Southampton is not liable for any costs, fees, or expenses incurred by any party in replying to the PIN or attending any briefing day (if applicable). Any procurement of any services, supplies or works by the University of Southampton will be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.