Connect the Classroom

The Connect the Classroom scheme is a Department for Education (DfE) programme which provides funding for schools in eligible areas to upgrade their wireless network infrastructure.

Upgrading network technology will mean that pupils can benefit from fast and reliable access to online resources to enhance their learning.

The solutions must meet the technical requirements from both a funding and specification perspective as listed below.

• Free comprehensive survey
• 10Gbps Backbone with Core and Edge Switching
• Multi Gig to Access Point via CAT6a Cabling
• Wi-Fi 6 Access Points
• Central Cloud Management for the entire platform (Access Points, Core Switch, Edge Switching) for a duration of a minimum of 5 years. This would be a single MAT portal for all schools eligible for the works
• Installation and configuration and handover

For expression of interest (EOI) please email: john.nash@thehearteducationtrust.co.uk

Closing date: 16:00 - 25/08/23

Technical specification document

Broadband

The Heart Education Trust is seeking to acquire new internet connectivity for the following schools while ensuring compliance with the digital and technology standards set by the Department for Education (DfE):

Bandwidth Requirements:

• Heartsease Primary Academy, NR7 9UE: 500 Mbps
• Valley Primary Academy, NR5 8XZ: 200 Mbps
• Lingwood Primary Academy, NR13 4AZ: 500 Mbps
• Henderson Green Primary Academy, NR5 8DX: 200 Mbps

Technical Specifications must encompass the following:

• Provision of an uncontended Business Grade Full Fibre Ethernet Lease line with a 1 Gbps bearer, subject to a maximum 36-month agreement.
• Synchronous download and upload speeds.
• A Service Level Agreement with a 6-hour target fix time.
• Provision of a Managed Router for the entire service duration.
• Implementation of Advanced Network Monitoring, utilising a cloud-based system for circuit monitoring, alerting, and real-time reporting on circuit stability, usage, and overall health.
• Installation of the Fibre Lease line to the main core school network cabinet.
• Configuration and installation of a suitable Advanced Threat Protection Firewall, including:
• Incorporation of machine learning and sandboxing for proactive defence against Zero-day threats.
• Generation of security reports for in-depth analysis of trends, threat types, signatures, and email subject headers for precise threat detection.
• Monitoring of malicious activity from both source and destination IPs for bidirectional analysis.
• Provision of a Security License for the firewall, covering continuous protection for a period of 7 years.
• Implementation of a Mobile Broadband failover backup solution for the lease line, including cloud-managed External Grade 4G/5G router modems for each site.
• Utilisation of a cost-effective Backup SIM, providing 250MB of data each month to cover circuit chatter, with automatic top-ups in 5GB increments as needed.

For expression of interest (EOI) please email: john.nash@thehearteducationtrust.co.uk

Closing date: 16:00 - 15/09/23

VOIP Phone system

In alignment with our continuous commitment to streamline communication and facilitate remote work, we are actively pursuing the renewal and enhancement of our existing VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) telephone system. Our central objective is to enhance the user-friendliness for remote workers while ensuring smooth communication across our organisation. To achieve this, we have outlined the following technical specifications:

Site Requirements:

• Heartsease Primary Academy: Located at NR7 9UE, with 21 users and 3 mobile apps.
• Valley Primary Academy: Located at NR5 8XZ, with 17 users and 3 mobile apps.
• Lingwood Primary Academy: Situated at NR13 4AZ, with 14 users and 3 mobile apps.
• Henderson Green Primary Academy: Situated at NR5 8DX, with 16 users and 3 mobile apps.
• The Heart Education Trust: Located at NR7 9UE, boasting 25 users, all necessitating access to mobile apps, web apps, and conventional handsets.
• Currently, we possess 100 DDI (Direct Dial-In) numbers, with plans to expand as our organisation grows.

Technical Requirements:

• Acquisition of a VoIP system, licensed for a 36-month agreement.
• Inclusion of free calls to 01, 02, 03 UK Local & National plus standard 07 UK Mobiles.
• Internal calls to be provided free of charge.
• Implementation of a cloud-based centralised management system, empowering our in-house IT team to make necessary adjustments seamlessly.
• Compatibility with Google Chromebooks through a WebRTC system.
• Provision of smartphone apps for Android and iOS.
• Availability of a Softphone Client for Windows OS.
• Porting of existing DDI numbers from our current provider.
• Integration with 3rd party SIP services.
• Utilisation of existing hardware whenever feasible (Yealink T19PE2, T23G, and T27G).
• Establishment of Trust-wide presence/busy lamps.
• Ensuring a minimum of 1 channel/concurrent external call for each seat/user licence.
• Installation of auto attendant features for each site.
• Incorporation of voicemail-to-email functionality.
• Creation of hunt groups for efficient call routing.
• Support agreement with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) covering standard office hours.

For expression of interest (EOI) please email: john.nash@thehearteducationtrust.co.uk

Closing date: 16:00 - 15/09/23

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