CAIH Awards €1.16B Data Center Framework to SCC, Computacenter, CNS, and APL Data Center

The Central Purchasing Body for Hospital IT (Centrale d'Achat de l'Informatique Hospitalière – CAIH) has awarded a series of framework agreements for data center hardware, software, and related services with a total maximum value of €1.16 billion. The procurement is divided into six lots covering storage, servers, virtualisation, data protection, and multi-technical data center environments. Winners include SCC FRANCE (three lots), COMPUTACENTER, C.N.S. Communications, and APL DATA CENTER.

Introduction

The Central Purchasing Body for Hospital IT (Centrale d'Achat de l'Informatique Hospitalière – CAIH) has conducted an open procedure for the procurement of data center hardware, software, and related services. The framework agreements support CAIH members in the acquisition, integration, and maintenance of technical infrastructures in the areas of servers, storage, and data protection, as well as advisory and implementation services for data center urbanisation and equipment.

The procurement is divided into six lots with a total maximum value of €1.16 billion. The contracts run for 48 months (4 years) and were awarded to four suppliers: SCC FRANCE (Lots 1, 2, and 6), COMPUTACENTER (Lot 3), C.N.S. Communications (Lot 4), and APL DATA CENTER (Lot 5). All winners are medium-sized enterprises and no subcontracting was declared.

Why This Contract Matters

This contract ensures that French healthcare institutions have access to modern data center infrastructure, supporting digital health services and patient care.

This contract matters because it:

• Supports healthcare IT: Provides infrastructure for hospital data centers
• Massive scale: Total maximum value of €1,160,000,000
• Long-term commitment: 48-month framework agreements
• Comprehensive scope: Six lots covering storage, servers, virtualisation, data protection, and data center urbanisation
• Multi-supplier: Four suppliers selected across six lots
• National coverage: Serves CAIH member institutions across France
• SME participation: All winners are medium-sized enterprises

Contract Timeline

• Previous notice: 75010-2025
• Winner chosen (Lot 1): 11 June 2025
• Winner chosen (Lot 2): 11 June 2025
• Winner chosen (Lot 3): 3 June 2025
• Winner chosen (Lot 4): 2 May 2025
• Winner chosen (Lot 5): 29 April 2025
• Winner chosen (Lot 6): 29 May 2025
• Contract duration: 48 months (4 years) from conclusion
• Notice published: 27 August 2026 (OJ S 165/2026)

Contract Overview

CAIH conducted an open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Key features include:

• Six lots: Storage, Servers & Virtualisation, Data Protection, Technical Expertise & Audit, Data Center Urbanisation – AMOA & MOE, Data Center Urbanisation – Supply & Installation
• Total maximum value: €1,160,000,000
• Lot 1 maximum: €200,000,000
• Lot 2 maximum: €500,000,000
• Lot 3 maximum: €50,000,000
• Lot 4 maximum: €30,000,000
• Lot 5 maximum: €30,000,000
• Lot 6 maximum: €200,000,000
• Duration: 48 months (4 years)
• Framework type: Without reopening of competition
• Evaluation: Price and Technical Value (varies by lot)
• Winners: SCC FRANCE (Lots 1, 2, 6), COMPUTACENTER (Lot 3), C.N.S. Communications (Lot 4), APL DATA CENTER (Lot 5)
• No subcontracting declared
• No EU funding

Key Contract Details

Detail	Information
Contracting authority	Centrale d'Achat de l'Informatique Hospitalière (CAIH)
Contract title	ACQUISITION DE MATÉRIELS, LOGICIELS DU DATACENTER : STOCKAGE, SERVEURS, VIRTUALISATION, PROTECTION DES DONNÉES ET ENVIRONNEMENT MULTI TECHNIQUE. MAINTENANCE ET PRESTATIONS ASSOCIÉES
Main CPV	48822000 Computer servers
Additional CPV	48800000 Information systems and servers
Procedure type	Open procedure (standard regime)
Legal basis	EU Directive 2014/24/EU
Total maximum value (EUR)	€1,160,000,000.00
Number of lots	6
Contract duration	48 months (4 years)
EU funding	None
Covered by GPA	Yes
Location	Various locations across France
Subcontracting	No

Lot Structure

Lot 1 – Traditional Storage (SAN/NAS/Dedicated Switches)

• Title: Stockage traditionnel (SAN/NAS/Switchs dédiés)
• Maximum value: €200,000,000
• Winner: SCC FRANCE
• Tenders received: 3
• Rank: 1

Lot 2 – x86 Servers, RISC Servers, DAS, Hyperconvergence, Software Defined Storage, Virtualisation, Containerisation

• Title: Serveurs x86, serveurs RISC, DAS, Hyper convergence, Software Defined Storage, Virtualisation, Conteneurisation
• Maximum value: €500,000,000
• Winner: SCC FRANCE
• Tenders received: 2
• Rank: 1

Lot 3 – Complete Backup and Data Protection Solutions

• Title: Solutions complètes de sauvegarde et de protection des données (logiciels/Appliance/stockage dédié sur disque ou bande)
• Maximum value: €50,000,000
• Winner: COMPUTACENTER
• Tenders received: 3
• Rank: 1

Lot 4 – Technical Expertise and Audit on Infrastructure Solutions

• Title: Expertise technique et audit sur les solutions d'infrastructures
• Maximum value: €30,000,000
• Winner: C.N.S. Communications
• Tenders received: 1
• Rank: 1

Lot 5 – Data Center Urbanisation and Multi-Technical Environment – AMOA and MOE

• Title: Urbanisation et environnement multi technique du Datacenter – AmoA et MOE
• Maximum value: €30,000,000
• Winner: APL DATA CENTER
• Tenders received: 2
• Rank: 1

Lot 6 – Data Center Urbanisation and Multi-Technical Environment – Supply and Installation

• Title: Urbanisation et environnement multi technique du Datacenter – Fourniture et installation
• Maximum value: €200,000,000
• Winner: SCC FRANCE
• Tenders received: 7
• Rank: 1

Lot Summary Table

Lot	Title	Max Value (€)	Winner	Tenders
1	Traditional Storage (SAN/NAS)	200,000,000	SCC FRANCE	3
2	Servers, Virtualisation, Hyperconvergence	500,000,000	SCC FRANCE	2
3	Backup and Data Protection	50,000,000	COMPUTACENTER	3
4	Technical Expertise and Audit	30,000,000	C.N.S. Communications	1
5	Data Center Urbanisation (AMOA & MOE)	30,000,000	APL DATA CENTER	2
6	Data Center Urbanisation (Supply & Installation)	200,000,000	SCC FRANCE	7
Total		1,160,000,000

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria vary by lot:

• Lot 1: Price
• Lot 2: Price (2) and Technical Value (2)
• Lot 3: Technical Value
• Lot 4: Price
• Lot 5: Price
• Lot 6: Technical Value

About the Contracting Authority

Centrale d'Achat de l'Informatique Hospitalière (CAIH) is a French public procurement body (body governed by public law) responsible for centralised purchasing of IT solutions for healthcare institutions. CAIH serves a network of member hospitals and healthcare establishments across France, providing procurement services for IT infrastructure, software, and related services.

About the Winners

SCC FRANCE (Lots 1, 2, and 6)

• Size: Medium enterprise
• Headquarters: 96, rue des Trois Fontanot, Nanterre, France (NUTS: FR105)
• Registration number: 42498265000014
• Specialisation: IT infrastructure, data center solutions, and services
• Awarded lots: 1 (€200M), 2 (€500M), and 6 (€200M)
• Subcontracting: No

COMPUTACENTER (Lot 3)

• Size: Medium enterprise
• Headquarters: 229 rue de la Belle Etoile - ZI PARIS NORD II, Roissy, France (NUTS: FR108)
• Registration number: 388 734 568 00 495
• Specialisation: IT solutions, data protection, and backup services
• Awarded lot: 3 (€50M)
• Subcontracting: No

C.N.S. Communications (Lot 4)

• Size: Medium enterprise
• Headquarters: 91 cours Charlemagne, Lyon, France (NUTS: FRK26)
• Registration number: 453 526 519 00054
• Specialisation: Communications and IT infrastructure solutions
• Awarded lot: 4 (€30M)
• Subcontracting: No

APL DATA CENTER (Lot 5)

• Size: Medium enterprise
• Headquarters: 106 Avenue Marx Dormoy, Montrouge, France (NUTS: FR105)
• Registration number: 328 071 170 00075
• Specialisation: Data center solutions and urbanisation
• Awarded lot: 5 (€30M)
• Subcontracting: No

Winners Summary

Supplier	Size	Location	Lots Awarded	Total Value (€)
SCC FRANCE	Medium	Nanterre (FR105)	1, 2, 6	900,000,000
COMPUTACENTER	Medium	Roissy (FR108)	3	50,000,000
C.N.S. Communications	Medium	Lyon (FRK26)	4	30,000,000
APL DATA CENTER	Medium	Montrouge (FR105)	5	30,000,000

Procurement Analysis

• Procedure: Open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.
• Competition: Varies by lot – from 1 to 7 tenders received.
• SME participation: All winners are medium-sized enterprises.
• Subcontracting: No subcontracting was declared by any winner.
• No EU funding: The procurement was not financed with EU funds.
• No framework agreement with reopening: The frameworks are without reopening of competition.
• No dynamic purchasing system used.
• Review body: Tribunal administratif de Lyon.

Additional Procurement Facts

• The contract is covered by the WTO's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
• No EU funds were used for this procurement.
• The total maximum value across all lots is €1,160,000,000.
• The framework agreements run for 48 months (4 years).
• Lot 2 (Servers & Virtualisation) is the largest lot at €500,000,000.
• Lot 6 (Data Center Urbanisation – Supply & Installation) received the most tenders (7).
• Lot 4 (Technical Expertise) received only 1 tender.
• SCC FRANCE was awarded three lots (1, 2, and 6).
• All winners are medium-sized French enterprises.
• No subcontracting was declared.

Market & Industry Perspective

The French healthcare IT market is characterised by large-scale centralised procurement through bodies like CAIH. Hospital data center infrastructure is critical for digital health services, patient records, and clinical applications.

Key trends in this market include:

• Healthcare digitalisation: Growing investment in hospital IT infrastructure
• Data protection: Increasing focus on backup and data protection
• Virtualisation: Adoption of virtualisation and containerisation
• Data center modernisation: Urbanisation and multi-technical environments
• Centralised procurement: CAIH as a central purchasing body

Economic Significance

At €1.16 billion, this framework represents one of the largest public sector IT procurements in France. The contracts will:

• Support healthcare IT: Provide infrastructure for French hospitals
• Enable digital health: Support modernisation of hospital data centers
• Support SMEs: All winners are medium-sized enterprises
• Provide long-term stability: 4-year framework agreements
• Drive innovation: Adoption of modern technologies

Future Procurement Opportunities

With these frameworks now in place, future opportunities include:

• Re-tender: Expected after the 4-year framework period
• Related services: Additional IT and healthcare technology services
• Subcontracting: Potential opportunities with the four winners
• Other healthcare bodies: Similar procurements in other French regions

Opportunities for Suppliers

While these contracts are awarded, opportunities remain for IT suppliers:

• Re-tender: Prepare for the next procurement cycle
• Subcontracting: Potential opportunities with SCC, Computacenter, CNS, or APL
• Related services: Additional healthcare IT procurements
• Other French regions: Similar data center procurements

What Businesses Should Watch

• CAIH's future procurement notices
• Other French healthcare IT tenders
• Data center technology trends
• Changes to French public procurement regulations
• Digital health and healthcare IT developments

FranceTenders Procurement Intelligence

This data center framework is a notable example of large-scale French healthcare IT procurement. Several features stand out:

• Scale: €1.16 billion across 6 lots
• Four winners: SCC (3 lots), Computacenter (1), CNS (1), APL (1)
• SME focus: All winners are medium-sized enterprises
• Long-term: 48-month frameworks provide stability
• Competition: 1-7 tenders per lot
• Healthcare focus: Serves French hospital IT needs

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of:

• Technical expertise: Strong weighting on technical value in several lots
• Competitive pricing: Price is a key criterion in most lots
• Healthcare experience: Understanding hospital IT requirements
• Comprehensive solutions: Ability to cover multiple technology areas
• SME status: SMEs can compete effectively

Supplier Takeaways

• Demonstrate technical expertise – technical value is key in several lots
• Offer competitive pricing – price is a key criterion
• Build healthcare IT experience
• Develop comprehensive data center solutions
• Monitor CAIH and French healthcare IT procurement opportunities

Key Takeaways

• CAIH awarded a €1.16B data center framework across 6 lots
• Winners: SCC FRANCE (Lots 1, 2, 6), COMPUTACENTER (Lot 3), C.N.S. Communications (Lot 4), APL DATA CENTER (Lot 5)
• Duration: 48 months (4 years)
• Lot 2 (Servers & Virtualisation) is the largest at €500M
• Evaluation: Price and Technical Value (varies by lot)
• All winners are medium-sized enterprises
• No subcontracting declared
• 7 tenders received for Lot 6 (most competitive)

Conclusion

This data center hardware, software, and services framework represents one of the largest public sector IT procurements in France. By awarding contracts across six lots to four medium-sized suppliers, CAIH ensures that its member healthcare institutions have access to a comprehensive range of data center solutions over the next four years.

The significant variation in competition across lots – from 1 to 7 tenders – reflects the different market dynamics for each technology area. The dominance of SCC FRANCE in three lots (1, 2, and 6) demonstrates the company's strong position in the French healthcare IT infrastructure market.

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of technical expertise, competitive pricing, and healthcare sector experience in winning large-scale French public sector IT contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is CAIH?

Ans: Centrale d'Achat de l'Informatique Hospitalière – a French public procurement body responsible for centralised purchasing of IT solutions for healthcare institutions.

Q: What is the total value of the framework?

Ans: €1,160,000,000 across all six lots.

Q: Who are the winners?

Ans: SCC FRANCE (Lots 1, 2, 6), COMPUTACENTER (Lot 3), C.N.S. Communications (Lot 4), and APL DATA CENTER (Lot 5).

Q: What are the six lots?

Ans: 1. Traditional Storage, 2. Servers & Virtualisation, 3. Backup and Data Protection, 4. Technical Expertise and Audit, 5. Data Center Urbanisation (AMOA & MOE), 6. Data Center Urbanisation (Supply & Installation).

Q: What were the evaluation criteria?

Ans: Price and Technical Value (varies by lot).

Q: How long are the contracts?

Ans: 48 months (4 years).

Q: How many tenders were received?

Ans: 1 to 7 tenders per lot, depending on the lot.

Q: Is this contract funded by the EU?

Ans: No, the procurement is not financed with EU funds.

Q: What is the review body?

Ans: Tribunal administratif de Lyon.

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 591422-2026, OJ S 165/2026, published 27 August 2026.