In 2017, CNA initiated an important project designed to plan for the options available to CNA Participants at the end of the current Telstra contract in 2020. The initial phases informed Catholic education leaders of the range of current and emerging Wide Area Networking (WAN) technology options likely to be available by 2020. The subsequent phase led to a report on the options available to CNA to be ready for use across its network.
It was agreed to go to market by approaching the larger vendors. However, it was felt that increased options would be achieved by including a number of smaller players. This included aggregators capable of building the network using their own or other carriers’ infrastructure. An open market Expression of Interest (EoI) was run in March 2019. This was done to select a small number of these vendors with the additional aim of increasing CNA’s understanding of the data carriage approaches in the market.
The successful EoI vendors provided a mix of solutions utilising their own infrastructure, Telstra wholesale and National Broadband Network (NBN) Enterprise Ethernet. The outcome was that the list of vendors to be invited for the Request for Proposal (RFP) was agreed by the CNA Board as Telstra, Optus, Vocus, TPG, AARNET, Superloop, Broadband Solutions and Comscentre.
The RFP went to market in late 2019 and closed in Jan 2020 with all vendors providing compliant responses. A shortlist of Comscentre, Telstra, TPG and Vocus was agreed by the board in April. The RFP process was completed in December 2020 with Comscentre (Orro) and Telstra executing Master Services Agreements with CNA.
These agreements, along with various negotiated schedules, will form the basis of individual Participant Service Contracts with the relevant supplier.
The board is grateful to the many people who have made CNA the success it is.
Our thanks go to those who serve with dedication on board subcommittees. Those on the Education Standing Committee continue to plan the enhancement of services delivered on the network and coordinate joint procurement activities. CNA’s Negotiation Team have been very successful in working with both Telstra and Microsoft.
Delivery of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services to Participants requires close cooperation with service partners. This includes Telstra, Catholic Education Melbourne, Brisbane Catholic Education, Catholic Education Western Australia and CEnet. We thank them for their service to Participants.