Health Research Authority Principal Operational Systems: Development, Maintenance and Support

Tender description

The following services are required by the Health Research Authority, an Arm's Length Body of the Department of Health: Systems/Portals/Sites There are two principal systems, IRAS and HARP, and six supplementary systems/portals/sites that will be covered by the service: 1)IRAS: a web based system for applying for the permissions and approvals for health and social care/ community care research in the UK. 2) HARP: a web based management information system used by the HRA, the Social Care REC and the Devolved Administrations for all research ethics applications that require NHS REC review. HARP is used to manage the process of booking applications onto REC committees; recording and measuring the time taken to award decisions, produce correspondence, manage meetings and contacts, and produce research summaries. HARP is also used to manage the HRA Approval process. 3) CAG (Assessment Review Portal): a web based management information system used by the HRA for all CAG applications. CAG is used to store application documents, manage the recording and measuring time taken to award decisions, produce correspondence, and manage meetings and contacts. 4) TOPS: a web based management information system managed by the HRA that aims to prevent participants from taking part too frequently in trials of new medicines. 5) HRA Approval Portal: links to HARP and allows non-HRA staff to view study data and associated documentation. 6) Committee Members Portal: links to HARP and allows REC Committee Members to view study data and associated documentation. 7) Decisions Tool Website: static web page containing information/guidance relating to IRAS. 8) GFI: an intermediary system designed to allow full electronic submission between IRAS and external systems by providing a set of web services. Services to be provided will include: Custom software development Technical architecture management, including software architecture design Production, maintenance and enhancement of Technical documentation Software QA & QC Software development process management Software project management Issue tracking and task management software (JIRA or equivalent) hosting Development and testing environment provision and management Software deployment management 24/7 Windows server support and maintenance Microsoft Internet Information Services administration. Firewall management Provision, management and maintenance of source control (Microsoft TFS) infrastructure 1st line help desk support Helpdesk VoIP/telephony infrastructure 2nd and 3rd line support Systems availability monitoring SQL Server database administration and performance tuning Additional professional services as required on an ad hoc basis Please refer to the procurement documents for further details.