Upgrade of E3 to E5 Licences for remaining user base
To consider confidential recommendtions.
Minutes:
The Cabinet received a report of the Director of Digital which sought authority to upgrade Oldham Council's existing 1,621 Microsoft 365 E3 licences to E5 licences and the procurement of Microsoft 365 E5 licences to fully equip all Council employees (totalling approximately 3,102 users).
This course of action was considered essential to consolidate multiple third-party vendors into a unified Microsoft ecosystem, enhance cyber security in line with National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance, and unlock advanced features that require organisation-wide E5 adoption for optimal effectiveness.
Resolved:
That the Cabinet:
1. Authorise, at a cost of £715,248, the upgrade of Oldham Council's existing 1,621 Microsoft 365 E3 licences to E5 licences and the procurement of Microsoft 365 E5 licences to fully equip all Council employees (totalling approximately 3,102 users).
2. Direct the Council’s IT team to integrate all E5 licences into the Microsoft ecosystem, including enabling advanced security features like Defender for Endpoint and Entra ID P2, while conducting a phased rollout to minimise disruption and align with NCSC cyber security best practices.
3. Authorise the procurement of external specialist resource (£150K) to supplement internal effort (£50K) at a total cost of £200,000 from IT Capital, to exploit the new E5 licensing, activating new functions and features of the E5 product.
4. Note that over three years the total cost will be £915,248.
5. Note that the Council’s Commercial Procurement Unit will ensure compliance with authority’s Contract Procedure Rules.