Race disparity data across the public sector - beta

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done This is a key No.10 initiative. We are working with Whitehall departments to identify and publish information showing how outcomes differ for people of different backgrounds, in a range of areas including health, education and employment. People will be able to check how race affects the way they experience public services, and transparency will help the government improve services and reduce disparity. Problem to Be Solved Race and ethnicity data is collected, measured and reported on across government - it can be found online in various publications (including official statistics) and can also be requested from departments. However, it's time-consuming and often hard to find, and exists in many different formats. This project aims to bring the data together, make it more easily available and usable by various audiences, and highlight where disparities exist to help aid understanding and inform policy. Who Are the Users Our users span across members of the public, policymakers, third sector and academic researchers. Their goals are very different. Researchers need the raw data to manipulate themselves. potentially linking it to other datasets, often with the aim of uncovering reasons for disparities and lobbying to improve situations. Others want to lift graphs and data from the site to quote as evidence for their policies or positions. Those unused to statistics may look at topics that affect them personally, such as crime rates or school performance. They need headline figures and context to help them interpret it. Early Market Engagement None - though the alpha was procured via the Digital Marketplace https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/digital-outcomes-and-specialists/opportunities/1492 Work Already Done Discovery ran from Nov 2016 - Jan 2017. During alpha we've run multiple user research lab sessions involving one-to-one interviews on a throw-away prototype front-end interface. The research tested how different types of users navigate a service, what features and information they need and how they interpret the data. Alongside this, we've mapped out a plan for publishing the content and we are working with departments on how to collect the required data. We've also drafted a simple technical architecture plan for the service. Existing Team The existing blended team comprises staff from Cabinet Office, ONS, GDS and Methods Digital. Methods Digital are contracted to deliver an alpha (as a DOS outcome) which covers development, data science, tech architecture, design and user research. Cabinet Office and ONS provide staff focussed on strategy, insights, programme management, policy, analysts and statisticians. The service manager and user researcher are provided by GDS. Current Phase Alpha Work Location 1 Horse Guards, London, SW1A 2HU Working Arrangments Our team will be based in Horse Guards. Some off-site working may be accepted, depending on the supplier proposal but will primarily be co-located onsite with the existing team. We work Mon-Fri with usual office hours. Occasional travel to other parts of the UK is expected for user research and testing. Security Clearance Minimum of baseline clearance (BPSS) required. CTC is required to work at 1 Horse Guards. Additional T&Cs Skills & Experience Have proven experience of working on agile projects as part of a multidisciplinary team, with regular user research, as outlined in the Government Service Design Manual and Digital Service Standard. Have expertise in iteratively prototyping, designing and building services which meet both user needs and the GOV.UK guidelines for content design, service design and accessibility. Technical expertise and past experience in building accessible front-end interfaces using GDS design patterns and responsive design. Experience in developing, accessible, easy to understand data visualisations for online services, including statistical data using the GDS and ONS styleguides. Proven track record of working with and manipulating large, heterogeneous datasets and presenting data and insights to users (including the public) in a clear, meaningful way. Awareness of existing open source or proprietary solutions and platforms to efficiently federate, store, link and present heterogeneous datasets Demonstrable experience of manipulating and transforming disparate datasets into common, machine readable formats. Be able to architect robust, scalable systems and display knowledge about system security risks and how to pragmatically mitigate them. Expertise developing scalable services using public cloud technologies, service-oriented architecture, micro services, security and integration. Nice to Haves Knowledge of statistics, at least to a basic understanding of sampling theory and statistical tests No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria High level approach - how you will approach delivering a Minimum Viable Product to meet project aims and transition to the team that will take over the service after beta Team structure - covering infrastructure setup and maintenance, ongoing prototyping, software delivery, content publishing and how the the team will adapt over time according to changing priorities. Data and content design - examples of good data visualisation (following ONS or GDS style guides) and how to deliver content coming from several departments, dealing with complex, sensitive subjects. Demonstrate political awareness and cultural sensitivity in managing and presenting complex data around protected characteristics Cultural Fit Criteria Experience of successful collaborative working as part of a mixed supplier-client delivery team sharing knowledge within the team Experience delivering in an open, collaborate, agile way according to the principles outlined in the Government Service Design Manual Experience of working with clients / team members with low technical expertise Experience of successful agile delivery in non-agile environments and bridging the two worlds Demonstrate simplicity (e.g. do less but better, explaining complex issues in a clear, simple way, break down and prioritise complex issues) Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Written proposal Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 65% Cultural fit 15% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers Budget range we are aiming at no more than £500,000 (excluding vat), but are open to proposals from suppliers who may feel that extra resources are justifiable given the scope of the task.