Healthy Start Digitisation - Beta stage

Tender description

Summary of the work DH requires a team to work with the internal service manager, product managers and service designer to deliver the beta phase of the Healthy Start digitisation. Expected Contract Length Circa 18 months Latest start date Monday 1 October 2018 Budget Range The budget for the beta is up to £1,686,000 spread across two financial years. Why the Work is Being Done As part of the drive to transform government services and make them ‘digital by default’, the Department is exploring options for digitising the Healthy Start scheme, which will replace the current paper provisions with an online application form and digital payment card. This will make the service more convenient and flexible for users and realise efficiencies. A discovery phase examined the feasibility of digitising the process of people applying for, receiving and spending Healthy Start vouchers, identifying potential methods for distributing Healthy Start digitally. The Alpha stage has delivered a prototype which requires further testing and evaluation in beta. Problem to Be Solved The recommendations from the alpha service assessment completed by GDS are to explore the digital application and card in further detail as well as to develop the backend management system. The beta will continue testing the online application form and making changes with each iteration to ensure a robust and easy to use application tool. We intend to widen the number of testers to ensure we cover the wide demographic of our users. This will include, cities, towns and rural locations and a range of different sized shops, both chains and independent stores. Also see Google drive for further details. Who Are the Users Users: Pregnant women on qualifying benefits and with earnings below a specified threshold and all pregnant women aged under 18. Parents with children under the age of four, on qualifying benefits and with earnings below a specified threshold. Health professionals (including midwives, health visitors) and Retailers. See Google drive documents for further details: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dB9zUqEyd8jcNa56JYgu-jo2DarhvLsu?usp=sharing Early Market Engagement 1. Users really value the HS scheme 2. The scheme is not reaching all those who are eligible - particularly during pregnancy 3. Awareness relies too heavily on busy health professionals and word of mouth 4. The requirement for a health professional to sign the form adds unnecessary friction to the application process 5. The complexity of the passported benefit arrangement, and the transition arrangements within HS when the child is born, are easily misunderstood by both users and health professionals, sometimes leading to delays in receiving benefit or unexpected stoppages. 6. Requiring pregnant users to call HSIU when their baby is born to continue receiving support is counter-intuitive and inconvenient for many mothers and health professionals 7. Users want control over how they use their Healthy Start benefit value 8. Users want a reliable and stress-free interaction with retailers 9. Users experience issues with the paper vouchers and most are ready for some kind of digital solution 10. Although users often have smartphones there is evidence of degrees of digital exclusion within the HS demographic. We must make sure any solutions work for everyone. Also see Google drive for beta stage pre market engagement information. Work Already Done A successful discovery phase was completed 06 September 2016. Subsequently the Apha phase was delivered successfully on 07 February 2018. Discovery and Alpha conclusion reports, along with further details of the Beta requirement background can be found on the following Google Drive location, for review. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dB9zUqEyd8jcNa56JYgu-jo2DarhvLsu?usp=sharing Alpha stage DOS2 advert can be seen here: https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/digital-outcomes-and-specialists/opportunities/5142 As with the Alpha phase, following shortlisting, the top five scoring suppliers who can meet the beta delivery date requirements will be invited to the evaluation stage. We will request approval from these organisations for the shortlisting scores to be utilised in the final evaluation. Existing Team The service manager role will be provided by DHSC. Current Phase Beta Skills & Experience • Demonstrate how you will apply your skills and expertise to... • Deliver digital services that meet the GDS Digital Service Standard criteria and pass GDS service assessments and how this will ensure the successful delivery of this service • Develop prototypes into functional beta systems (card system, instant reimbursement) iteratively via user testing/research and how this will ensure the successful delivery of this service • Develop digital services using agile methodologies and how this will ensure the successful delivery of this service • Prioritise key content and features using metrics, analytics, and user feedback and how this will ensure the successful delivery of this service • Prioritise product and programme delivery using effective estimation and sizing techniques and how this will ensure the successful delivery of this service • Design and build services which meet user needs, follow GDS design patterns, meet accessibility standards and how this will ensure the successful delivery of this service Nice to Haves • Demonstrate experience of successful delivery of digital services from Discovery to Live, involving retirement of legacy services • Have experience upskilling client staff Work Location Leeds, London, Mansfield and remote locations. Working Arrangments The team will be located across Leeds (DH), London (DH) and the NHS Business Services Authority (Mansfield), plus the contractors (location tbc) and so will make use of VC technology and will arrange in-person meetings at key points. Security Clearance To be confirmed. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • Approach and methodology • Technical solution • How the approach or solution meets user needs • Estimated timeframes to complete the work • Team structure (with roles and responsibilities) • Value for money • How risks and dependencies are identified and approaches to manage them • Approach to maintaining control, transparency and quality Cultural Fit Criteria • Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers • Transparent and collaborative when making decisions • Demonstrate the approch for working with a wide range of service users, including vulnerable persons and those with limited digital skills Payment Approach Capped time and materials Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 50% Cultural fit 20% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers 1. The first essential skills starts off as ''Demonstrate how you will apply your skills and expertise to...'' - is that just an oversight as we can't possibly respond to it? The system still asks us to put in 100 words. This is just how we ask suppliers to frame thier responses to the skills criteria listed below this initial line. For a response, as is reqired, please inlcude something along the lines of "Please see below". Apologies for the confusion. 2. Is there an incumbent supplier, and who was the supplier for the Alpha work that was delivered February 2018? There is no incumbent supplier as the Alpha stage of the project has concluded. Details on this delivery can be found in the Google drive, linked to within the advert. 3. Who has done discovery and Alpha stages? Details of the Discovery and Alpha phase deliveries can be found in the Google drive, link to within the advert. 4. Is there any extra advantage for the company/companies who have done Discovery and Alpha? The approach by the project team is to be as transparent as possible, ensuring equity of treatment for all participants. Full details of the Discovery and Alpha phase delivery, along with additional detail on the Beta requirement is provided within the Google drive link, found in the advert. This is to allow all potential DOS2 suppliers to bid for the work from a fully informed position. Additionally, potential suppliers are able to request further information, if needed, by using the supplier question function. 5. Would it be possible to share the output of discovery? Details can be found within the Google drive documents, its link is provided in the advert. 6. Do you have a preferred technology choice? No decision has been made yet. Please also refer to the additional pre tender engagement supplier information document within the Google drive, for further details. 7. Are you open to suggestions from suppliers? Yes, we are open to recommendations, to be evaluated on their respective merits. Please also refer to the additional pre tender engagement supplier information document within the Google drive, for further details. 8. Can DHSC clarify what is meant by the following cost lines noted in the Costs section of the Healthy Start Beta Soft-Market Testing Digitisation document? Is this applicable to the Beta proposal? Venue Hire & Donations, Incentives & Recruitment Agency Payments to the Healthy Start Issuing Unit? This is related to User Research and recruiting users to assist with the beta. We may want to offer incentives to people for particular pieces of UR as well as organisations for allowing us to use their facilities for example. We need to significantly increase the number of people we test the service with and so may require a specialist recruitment agency to help with identifying participants. 9. Can DHSC provide more specific requirements to allow us to price the individual components of the solution? In order to accurately price the management system, for example, additional technical requirements and sizing information would be required. The management system will need to be the link between the online applications and the data feeds to determine eligibility for Healthy Start. We would welcome options for additional functionality such as allowing users to freeze and unfreeze their card, notify us of a change of circumstances, request a replacement card or check their balance. There are approximately 12,000 applications to Healthy Start per cycle (4 weeks). 10. Will the DHSC select the preferred card supplier? We understand that one card provider was used during the Alpha phase however are prospective suppliers expected to suggest options as part of the proposal? Yes the DHSC will take the decision on the final card provider. We are happy for suppliers to suggest options as part of their proposals and will consider any that meet the minimum requirements set by government standards. 11. Is the supplier who completed the Alpha phase bidding for the Beta phase? It is not possible to know this, all responding companies are anonymous at the current advert stage. 12. Has a card supplier been chosen? No, a supplier was used for the Alpha stage and the project team will now be looking for appropriate recommendations as part of the Beta delivery. 13. Is card issue and associated payment data collection included in the scope? We would want the system to be able to issue cards to our users. No decision has been made on the most appropriate method of payment data collection - suggestions on this are welcome. 14. Does the prototype only cover the citizen-facing journey? Yes. Two journey's have been developed: One for the user applying for themselves and one for someone applying on behalf of a beneficiary. There is currently no prototype of the back end system. 15. Can we have access to the prototype please? Due to bandwidth restrictions, it is not possible to share access at this stage. It is hoped details of the prototype can be shared as a part of the witten submission phase of the tender process. Details will be confirmed at that time. 16. For the 100-word responses, are we to use the same example in response to all criteria, or can we use multiple examples to illustrate our experience? It is recommended that the responses include examples that best illustrate a suppliers experience and skills relative to that particular area. These can be different examples if the supplier chooses. 17. Did the project undergo a GDS service assessment? If so, did the team pass, and please can the GDS report be shared? Yes. The service assessment was passed in February 2018. A copy of the report is contained within the google drive, which is accessbile via the link in the advert. 18. Beyond the 100-word answers, what is the expected procurement process and timeline, leading up to the 1st October start date? The shortlisting process will close to supplier responses on July 30th. Following that, all replies will be evaluated and scored, suppliers will be informed of the shortlisting decision by 24th August and it is anticipated the successful companies will be invited to submit a witten submission week commencing 27th August. The supplier presentations will be held on 13th September, following the deadline for the written bids. 19. Given the specificity of the Beta budget, do you have a candidate team profile and duration in mind? The project is expected to last approximately 18 months. We would welcome suggestions from supplers as to the make up of their team. Internally we will be providing a service manager, product owner and associate product owner. 20. Is it acceptable to deploy off-shore staff to deliver the Beta phase? Due to the very sensitive nature of the data involved in this project, it is a difficult to give a precise response on whether the Department would be prepared to use a combination of UK and near-shore resources (for example) for the digital work. At this time we can only confirm that this approach is not excluded currently, but if proposed as part of a bid, this element would be subject to all appropriate assurance and verification exercises, including any necessary contractual terms and conditions, before acceptability can be confirmed. 21. Is the duration of the Beta fixed at 2 years? The duration of the Beta stage is expected to be circa 18 months. 22. Will the service sit within the Gov.uk domain, or something else? What is the main access point to the service for users? Yes, we will sit on the Gov.UK domain and use Gov.UK components and designs. There will also be an assisted digital offering. 23. Is solving the problem of increasing awareness of Healthy Start also part of the beta workstream? The main priority of the beta is to make improvements to the service that meet user needs. Awareness of the scheme is secondary to achieving that aim. Our understanding now is leaning towards wanting other Government services to signpost to Healthy Start for eligible individuals rather than any large comms campaign. 24. It’s mentioned in the Healthy Start Alpha Report that the team intended to carry out further research on the pain points of using the prepaid card via the Federation of Independent Retailers and The Association of Convenience Stores – has this been carried out already? No. The alpha was time limited so this research has not been conducted. 25. Would representatives (eg product owners) of the Discovery and Alpha team(s) be available to verbally playback work to date at project kick-off? Yes, the project team within DHSC and NHS BSA for the Discovery and Alpha phase will be available. 26. Will the beta delivery need to be hosted and supported by the supplier? Are there any specific hosting requirements? No decision has been made on this element, it is expected that the successful supplier will evaluate the prototype and make appropriate recommendations on the approach for the Beta delivery. 27. Is there any technical documentation produced as part of the alpha prototype or discovery? - High-level Logical diagrams - Domain Model diagrams - Technology stack and choices - Deployment diagrams? Documentation from the alpha will be made available to the successful supplier. All coding was completed in the open on github. 28. Is the beta technical solution going to be iterated on if the live technical solution is undertaken, or is the beta technical solution seen as disposable? We will firstly run a private beta with a subest of users, then a public beta and then onto live. We expect to continuously improve the beta. 29. Do you have any preferred mechanisms for participant recruitment? We will need to recruit more users during beta for user research. This may require using a recruiter to find certain types of user. Previously we have had success in working with children's centres and the Family Nurse Partnership, for example, during alpha. 30. What technology is the alpha prototype built in? Ie any specific JavaScript libraries used (we cannot access the prototypes mentioned in the documentation)? Prototype was created using the Gov.UK prototyping kit. Mostly HTML/CSS and some javascript. 31. Where is the code hosted for the alpha prototype? The coding is held on github: https://github.com/Pilot-Works/healthy-start 32. Who is currently hosting the alpha prototype and who will be hosting the beta prototype? The prototype is hosted on Heroku. Link here: https://healthy-start-application.herokuapp.com. The beta will almost certainly be hosted on Gov.UK PaaS. If we need to produce more prototypes for research purposes then there is no objection to continue to use Heroku. 33. Will there be any technical governance in place on the project ie do technology/architectural choices need to be reviewed and signed off? If so, what is the process? All decisions will be signed off by the service manager. Internally we have technology advisors who can support teams on their technical choices. It is expected that technical choices would be made in consultation with them. 34. Do you have any specific requirements for volume testing ie is there an expected user load, are there times when traffic is particularly high (burst)? There are around 365,000 beneficiaries currently receiving Healthy Start. There are approximately 12,000 applications to Healthy Start per cycle and the current Healthy Start website receives around 1 million hits per year. This indicates the level of interest. We would like to test the new service (prototype and cards) with around 5,000 users. 35. Can you provide any further detail on the agile way of working that was adopted with the alpha phase? The team followed Gov.UK best practice: https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/agile-delivery/how-the-alpha-phase-works. The DHSC/BSA team are split across three sites (Leeds, London and Mansfield). We would require occasions where the entire team are together for face to face meetings (such as the inception workshop), but business as usual would not require an on site team. We use collaborative tools (Trello and Slack for example) and anticipate continuing in this vein through beta. 36. Is the lead product owner fully empowered to make prioritisation decisions and have they been involved from the start of the project? DHSC had a restructuring following the Discovery, so none of the team were part of that stage. The service manager, product owner and associate product owner were all part of the alpha phase. The service manager and product owner are empowered to make decisions. 37. What’s the definition of ‘done’? Are there clear outcomes that need to be met with the beta or is this to be assessed on an ongoing basis as we iterate? We have clear KPIs for the service. 38. Could you detail any known additional challenges or blockers to thoroughly testing the delivered solution? 1. Healthy Start users are some of the most vulnerable in society. We need a supplier who can be sensitive to this. 2. Legislation is required to make changes to the scheme. 3. There is more work to be done on the vitamins side of Healthy Start. 39. Are there any activities or steps specific to this project that would need to be undertaken in order for the solution to be deemed thoroughly tested? We will require thorough accessibility testing, perfromance testing, security testing, mandatory government assessment testing. 40. Is there any documentation for data feeds (other than what is included in the discovery/alpha report) e.g. data dictionaries, how feeds are delivered on which scheduled and through which systems? The healthy start service currently receives data about potential eligible applicants from HMRC and the DWP. There is no standard data format, nor data dictionary as such to define individual field types. 41. Are there integration versions (non-production) of APIs available for development/testing against, and can be they accessed by supplier's offices? We are currently in discussions with relevant Government colleagues to get the APIs we need to deliver the service. The chosen supplier will need to input into what specifics we need. 42. Is the expectation that the alpha prototype will be built upon to deliver the beta prototype? Or can the beta prototype be a new development? No decision has been made on this element, it is expected that the successful supplier will evaluate the prototype and make appropriate recommendations on the approach for the Beta delivery 43. What’s the definition of ‘done’? Are there clear outcomes that need to be met with the beta or is this to be assessed on an ongoing basis as we iterate? Sucess measures: significantly improve take-up, make service more efficient, create a digital HS Service (with appropriate digital support) serving everyone, increase satisfaction, keep the service adaptable, maintain scheme integrity. KPIs include: % of eligible users receiving HS, % of eligible pregnant women receiving HS, completion rate of online applications, application count from eligible users, cost per transaction, digital take-up rate, cost of service, accessibility audit for service, user satisfaction for users with assisted digital needs, % of card users highly satisfied with HS, % of relevant retailers accepting HS, time for improvement going from committed to live, no misuse increase.