Database-management system

Tender description

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has a requirement to procure a strategic partner to support, maintain and further develop and enhance the current Causeway Data Sharing Mechanism (DSM) at the end of the existing contract. This current managed service contract is currently due to end in March 2019. DOJ will require a strategic partner to: — Provide support, monitoring and maintenance for the Causeway DSM; — Provide ongoing development and enhancement of the Causeway Service to take account of digital developments within the justice arena, business requirement changes, legislative changes, business process improvements and the inclusion of additional Causeway users. This will include analysis, design, development, testing, support, monitoring and maintenance; and — Provide enhanced management information capability. The Causeway infrastructure (data centre storage facilities utilising Cloud technology, network, server hosting/support and infrastructure help desk) will be provided by Enterprise Shared Services (ESS) which is the Northern Ireland Civil Service information and communications technology shared service provider. The Causeway Service is a strategically important database and data sharing messaging system which provides an integrated system to support information sharing between the 5 main NI Criminal Justice Organisations (CJOs) line of business case management systems. CJOs comprise the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Public Prosecution Service, the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, the Northern Ireland Prison Service and Forensic Science Northern Ireland. The Causeway Service also creates and enables electronic web based access to the NI Criminal Record database and viewer (NICRV) service for organisations both in Northern Ireland and Great Britain that have a legitimate right to access this information. The Causeway Service is considered business critical for how information is shared and the effective operation of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland, and for the DOJ modernising and reform agenda. Although the current system has been very effective in meeting the business needs to date, the DOJ is now looking for an ICT solution that will meet its, and Causeway users, (and any successor bodies) future business requirements, including promoting a digital 1st strategy within the criminal justice system, reflecting the technological advancements and opportunities which have become available since the Causeway Service was 1st implemented in 2004 and building on the DOJ's vision for digital justice of ‘a user focused criminal justice system, optimising the use of digital technologies, to deliver fast and effective justice.’ It is anticipated that the new Causeway Contract will be for a maximum contract period of ten (10) years (plus an implementation period). This is likely to be on the basis of an implementation period from the date of contract award to ‘go-live’ (i.e. April 2019), followed by an initial contract period of seven (7) years from ‘go-live’, with the option to extend, at the Authority's discretion, for up to three (3) further years. Further Information is set out in the accompanying PQQ/PIM which is available in the CfT documents area of eTendersNI.