Technical Architect for Patent Transformation Project (PTP)

Tender description

Summary of the work To help the IPO specify, define and implement an integrated service solutions utilising a framework of PaaS/SaaS components upon which a low-code, high configuration case management system can be build to replace our legacy estate of mixed technologies and software solutions. Specialist role Technical Architect Expected Contract Length 12 months with the possibility of a further 12 month extension. Latest start date 13/06/2016 Maximum Day Rate £650 per day Early Market Engagement Limited market engagement has been conducted in so far as potential candidate(s) have been identified as being suitable through work on other IPO projects that have recently been conducted. Who Speclialist Work With The Technical Architect will work in an agile and collaborative team brought together from all areas of the IPO to bring together all knowledge areas to include Product Owners, IT Specialists, Analysts and user representatives. The specialist will also be expected to work with suppliers selected to work on the PTP project. What Specialists Work On To help the IPO specify, define and implement an integrated service solution utilising a framework of PaaS/SaaS components upon which a low-code, high configuration case management system can be build to replace our legacy estate of mixed technologies and software solutions. Skills & Experience • Have demonstrable experience of government ‘Cloud First Mandate’ • Have experience of defining, building and running high volume, reliable, flexible and integrated PaaS and SaaS solutions • Have experience of delivering an integrated platform of components • Have experience of configurable case management systems • Have experience of solution specification to requirements and including all aspects of configurable, service management and hosting • Have experience of products and services to support a core SaaS offering. Nice to Haves • Procurement utilising the government digital marketplace. • Working on government digital projects • Working within a collaborative, agile environment with experience of agile methodologies such as TDD, Scrum, Kanban etc • Delivering in complex environments with many unknowns • Able to define and implement agile procurement methods to successfully assess both potential supplier’s solutions and working methods. • Researching, defining, building and implementing a mixed ecosystem of PaaS and SaaS solutions to provide a highly configurable, case management system • Implementing scalable and robust approaches to caching, security and databases within a PaaS environment and demonstrating an understanding of data localisation concerns of Public-Cloud implementation within government • Building and implementing an API-First strategy to provide web-based APIs (especially REST-based APIs) • Automation, configuration management, deployment and testing solutions • Organising and performing prototyping and proof of concepts to learn fast, inform decisions and maintain pace • Both testing and gathering user needs to inform direction • Managing technology implementation projects and in presenting to, and working with, stakeholders at every level • Taking an evolutionary architecture approach to software architecture • Strategic alignment of technical design and architecture to meet business growth and direction • Agile product management, in particular determination of vision, objectives, goals and success criteria • Developing product roadmaps, backlogs and measurable success criteria and of writing user stories, i.e. can establish a path to delivery for breaking down stories • Knowledge sharing in multi-disciplinary teams Work Location The team are based within the Newport offices of the IPO. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office Working Arrangments The Transformation change program delivers through small teams working in an agile environment with a co-located, collaborative team. Therefore, to maintain this level of collaboration, it is essential for you to work onsite 5 days a week co-located with the team. Off site working or non co-located working arrangements will not be considered. Security Clearance We are looking for a minimal of SC clearance and, due to a need for early start dates, preference will be provided to candidates with existing clearance. No. of Specialists to Evaluate 3 Cultural Fit Criteria • Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers • Transparent and collaborative when making decisions • Have a no-blame culture and encourage people to learn from their mistakes • Customer satisfaction by early and continuous delivery of valuable software • Welcome changing requirements, even in late development • Working software is delivered frequently (days and weeks rather than months) • Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers • Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted • Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location) • Working software is the principal measure of progress • Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace • Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design • Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential • Best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams • Regularly, the team reflects on how to become more effective, and adjusts accordingly Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 70% Cultural fit 10% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. Can you please confirm that you have received my response to this requirement, as I have received no acknowledgement? Unfortunately the Digital Marketplace portal does not currently have the functionality to send acknowledgement notifications and buyers cannot see the number of responses or who has responded whilst the requirement is open. This has been raised with Crown Commercial Services who have confirmed that feedback is being collated to improve and iterate the tool.Crown Commercial Services did advise that there is a banner at the top of the page that states something similar to "Your Application Has Been Submitted". 2. Which applications do you intend to run in the cloud and on which platform? SaaS is any application that runs through a web browser and not off the companies own servers/infrastructure. Again this could be a whole range of applications. Would there be any specific application required? Are we talking about G-Cloud? It is intended that the Technical Architect will help with the assessment of applications from SaaS case management solutions sourced from G-Cloud. The Technical Architect will then work collaboratively with the team to create a shortlist of suppliers and participate in customer engagement to select one SaaS case management solution to build a Proof of Concept. 3. If we supply the Technical architect for this requirement will be excluded/barred from subsequent procurements for this project? A major role of the technical architect will be to help the IPO specify, define and implement a high configuration case management system. As this will require the Technical Architect to be heavily involved in the writing of the specification and the evaluation of tenders we feel that measures should be taken by the IPO in order to ensure that tenderers are equally treated and therefore the supplier of the Technical Architect would not be considered to also provide the case management system solution. This is in line with section 24 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.