DEFRA UnITy Programme User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Support Service

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done The Defra Group makes significant use of ICT services in the delivery of its wider strategic objectives. The two largest ICT contracts supporting these services are due to expire in 2021. The Defra UnITy Programme (DUP) was commissioned with addressing how Defra might exploit this opportunity to generate savings and improve ICT services for its uses. Problem to Be Solved The UAT Support Service is intended to support the Authority and new suppliers of UnITy services to ensure continued access to, and availability of, the UnITy services during the period of implementation. The implementation phase will involve the cut over of services to new UnITy suppliers and service models. To mitigate the risk of disruption to the business, a UAT process is needed, which will build on the technical testing that will be performed by the new UnITy suppliers. Who Are the Users As a user of Defra ICT services I need to have continued access to Defra ICT services during the cut over to UnITy services so that day to day operations are not effected. Early Market Engagement Work Already Done Existing Team The initial and most significant users of the UAT Support Services will be the Hosting and Applications Support workstream and the End User Environment workstream. There is the expectation that the UAT Support Service could be further leveraged as required to support a broader range and scope of UnITy services. Current Phase Not applicable Work Location The majority of user workshops would occur in London. However, some users are located outside London, therefore travel to locations such as Reading, Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham and York may be required. Working Arrangments The requirement is for the Supplier to provide end to end management of the UAT process. The Authority holds limited testing collateral; the ‘stand-up scripts’ to be used during migration do not offer the level of functional coverage needed to fully mitigate the business risk. The execution of the UAT of each relevant application/service will be conducted by nominated user representatives, as they are the business experts and best placed to maximise value from test execution. Security Clearance The Supplier’s Staff shall be Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) cleared (via Disclosure Scotland) and sign a confidentiality agreement prior to commencing delivery of the Services. Additional T&Cs The additional terms for this procurement: a) An interpretation provision which reflects the fact that the Authority is contracting on behalf of other Defra bodies. b) A term which has the effect that the parties acknowledge that the delivery of services will not use an agile methodology. c) A term obliging the UAT Support Service supplier (“Supplier”) Staff to comply with requirements and policies of third parties when on their premises. d) A standard change control clause instead of the current drafting. e) A term obliging the Supplier to hold sufficient insurance to cover its liabilities under the call-off contract. Skills & Experience An experienced authoritative lead with demonstrable expertise Ability to introduce and manage oversight governance, identifying potential critical business impacts, propose mitigations and appropriate escalation routes Ability to act as a trusted advisor and communicate in written and verbal forms at executive and technical levels Ability to deliver a service that commences on 30th September 2018 and delivers the Services in accordance with the dates outlined in the Buyer’s Requirements and/or the UnITy Implementation Plans Ability to deliver the UAT phase with specific reference to the business risk profile similar to that described in this document Significant experience and high-level skills in production of UAT artefacts Previous and demonstrable record and relevant experience in managing end to end UAT programs at a scale similar to that described here. Ability to respond flexibly to the development and changes in the implementation approach and timescales of the new UnITy services while maintaining continuity and consistency of service and quality. All resources provided will need to be available to attend meetings in London; willing to sign a confidentiality undertaking; and be capable of BPSS security clearance (basic Disclosure Scotland). Nice to Haves Ability to share supplier-site facilities/services eg test lab or office, within close geographic proximity to Buyer locations Previous experience with existing Defra estate Ability to provide accessible tooling platform No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria Comprehensive approach to the overall delivery of the contract, fully committing to the Buyer’s Requirements How well the proposed UAT approach and methodology meets the Buyer’s Requirements How well the proposal fits with the required timeframes for the Buyer’s Requirements How complete are the identified risks and dependencies and suitability of the approaches to mitigate/manage them Sufficient, appropriate resources allocated and structured in a workable manner Value for money Referee confirmation of satisfactory performance on previous contracts Cultural Fit Criteria Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers Take responsibility for work undertaken Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Written proposal Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 65% Cultural fit 5% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers Budget range total approved framework value is £1.5m