The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has signed Nominet on a framework deal to provide Domain Name System (DNS) services for the Public Services Network (PSN).
It has reached the agreement while stepping back from a plan to create a similar deal for PSN Email Relay services.
CCS has published the contract award notice for the agreement with Nominet – the domain name registry for the UK which also provides cyber security and spectrum management services – under a new PSN Core Services contract.
This is replacing the GSI Convergence Framework, reflecting advances in the relevant technology.
Nominet will take over from Vodafone in providing DNS services to reconcile website names and underlying IP addresses, reachable by entities connected to the PSN and presented on the network and the internet. The framework has been valued at up to £30 million.
A second lot for PSN Email Relay services on the framework has not been awarded as no bids were received.
Change of plan
A CCS spokesperson said: “This was a small contract, for a bespoke service not available on the commercial market.
“The plan for Lot 2 now is for individual organisations to move away from the GCF Email Relay service to new more modern technology that meets the Government Technology Code of Practice, as has been implemented over the last couple of years. This means a faster transition for departments than was originally envisaged, with all organisations exiting the GCF Email Relay by April 2021.
“These services can be procured from existing CCS agreements and there are currently no plans to relaunch a procurement for Lot 2.”
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