Developing a Server Database Management System & Web Portal for PHE’s Radiation Dosimetry Service

Tender description

Summary of the work PHE require a supplier with technical architects or business analysts that can update the dosimetery services' database and web page so they are authored to current standards. It is important that suppliers have experience of working in an environment with sources of radiation (ie laboritories, manufacturing or x-ray services) Latest start date Saturday 24 November 2018 Why the Work is Being Done PHE needs its current database and web portal for its Radiation Dosimetry service upgraded to SQL for the database and an current web page language. Problem to Be Solved Database and web portal are written using outdated authoring packages. Data will need to be migrated for the database and portal to allow seamless transfer. Supplier will have to consult with end users to create interfaces that suit the current and projected requirements. Effectively there will be a discovery phase to the project. Who Are the Users As a PHE administration, scientific or Dosimetry staff member I will need to be able to use the database in the same fashion as we currently do so we can log items sent in by customers and process them in the same way we do now. As a customer I need to log into a web page to monitor items sent for analysis and need be able to use any current web browser to access the progress of my items. Existing Team Successful supplier will be working with PHE staff and Dosimetry Service customers in the discovery phase and PHE staff in the delivery phases. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Have experience in SQL-Server Database Systems and web portals • Identifying functions of existing systems • Engaging with stakeholders to identify additional requirements • Data Migaration • Creating systems flexible enough to allow future development • Identifying IT infrastructure requirements from engagement with IT staff • Identifing new functional requirements via staff engagement • Delivering discovery phase in a timely and economical way • Security of computer based data • Accept that they will need to work in an environment with radiation sources • Able to deliver cost effective solutions Nice to Haves • Understanding of a commercial website for tracking items sent for appraisal • Experience of working for a Government department. Work Location PHE CRCE Dicot Harwell Campus Didcot Oxford OX11 0RQ UK Working Arrangments PHE would like to work with a supplier "local" to the Harwell Campus as they want to have regular face to face meetings with the supplier. The time on site will vary as the supplier will be carrying out a discovery phase where an extensive on site presence will be required and then reducing it while while the next phases are being done. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • Estimated time frames for the work (discovery and delivery) • Approach and methodology • Technical solution • Staff engagement plan for discovery phase • Ensuring that new versions of the database and web portal will have a suitable lifespan before more updates or rewrites are needed. Cultural Fit Criteria • Be transparent and collaborative when making decisions • Understand stakeholder engagement in a Civil Service/scientific environment • Be able to adapt their solutions without question Payment Approach Capped time and materials Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 40% Cultural fit 20% Price 40% Questions from Suppliers 1. What are the preventive mechanisms in place to ensure safety of supplier working in a radioactive (radiation) environment? All the sources are kept in shielded storage when they are not in use. To ensure staff safety there are detectors placed in corridors and other areas to maintain safety. 2. What is the budget for this project? I cannot answer this question would prevent PHE getting competitive quotes from potential suppliers. 3. Does this assignment sit in-scope or outside of IR35? We will be looking for the successful supplier to deliver a finished product at an agreed price. The budget approval does not cover the engagement of individual as contractor in any form. Only registered companies should consider this opportunity. 4. What do you have as web portal at the moment ( Liferay Sharepoint, custome built etc)? Do you want to keep the same technology or are you open to build a new one from scratch? EXTRANET Component: Current site is at https://dol.phe.gov.uk (you can see the landing page). Underlying database is SQLServer and all solutions should use open standards and common platforms. For guidance, seehttps://www.gov.uk/service-manual/service-standard https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technology-code-of-practice/technology-code-of-practiceBut note the hosting will be at PHE. 5. To be able to estimate for us this activity properly, We need to know how big your system is? Can you give us some information about it (how many modules are there,how many screens to be implemented roughly etc).. Internal system (DORIS): has some 45 pages and sub-pages. Extranet (DOL): approx 15 pages and sub-pages. 6. How would supplier staff be exposed to sources of radiation in completing the engagement? No. 7. Will suppliers with experience of delivering similar solutions to that required be excluded because they don't have experience of working in an environment with sources of radiation? No, we must have a supplier that has staff comfortable working in close proximity to such sources. PHE does not want to award the contract to a supplier that has staff that decline to enter the labs. 8. The brief makes several mentions of "SQL Server". Is this a generic reference or specific to Microsoft's product ? If it's the former, is there any particular hardware or software platform in mind or is that up to the supplier to suggest one ? We want all work involving SQL to be done with Microsoft products. 9. How complex is the registration workflow? e.g. is it a single end-to-end process with one path of execution, no exceptions, or are there conditional or optional sub-workflows within it that depend on the nature of the sample being processed? There are a small number of sub-workflows. These are mainly around collecting the dose history for the specific recorded source. 10. What volume of historic data exists that will need to be migrated, and at what rate will data grow in future? Records are held for approximately 130,000 individual sources , increasing at 5,000 per year, and some 16 M dose results growing at 400 k per annum. 11. With regards to question 10 and your answer already given. Please can you advise how many tables this data is stored across? Estimated 50-100 tables.This is based on the former system, with some allowance for DORIS having more functions. 12. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ 1) Is there a written specification? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA1) No. There are some documents from the original construction of the site. Part of this contract will be the discovery phase to create a new specification 13. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ2) What is the purpose of the rewrite? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA2) This has a two part answer. The first part of this is because of the age of the system. Constant additions to the code have resulted in it becoming inflexible. The second part is to assess the necessity existing functions and to explore what new functions could benefit users. 14. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ3) Does this has to be a complete rewrite or can the existing code be updated? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA3) We have been adding to the original code since the system came into use and the addition of many of the features have affected the systems efficiency so a complete rewrite will probably be best. 15. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ4) Data migration, do you see the existing database being incorrect? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA4) No. Most of the data will need to be migrated and with the addition of new functions the data will need to converted to be compatible with the new system. The modification to the data structure will necessitate a change to the migrated data. 16. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ5) As far as the data goes are there any other systems that the data comes from that have to be considered? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA5) No. there are two associated systems, PHE’s finance system and a much smaller system. These are out of the scope of works at the moment regarding this piece of work. 17. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ6) The system has many screens and sub screens. Is there a reporting function not included in the declared screens? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA6) There are four different functions available to customers within the system that release reports 18. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ7 Is the SQL server requirement to be authored with the Microsoft version and will the hosting be done in house A7) PHE will be using Microsoft SQL for the foreseeable future and therefore require the SQL element of the work to be done with a current Microsoft product. PHE currently host the DOL web site and will continue to do so. 19. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ8) Will the current source code be available for perusal? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA8) Yes. We believe we own the current code and, providing we own the IP, we will endeavour to provide this. 20. DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionQ9) What are the time constraints with this project? DORIS & DOL Q&A SessionA9) We need the discovery phase to be completed by 31/3/2019, the replacement for DORIS to be completed by 31/03/2020 and the replacement for DOL, the extranet, by 31/03/2021. PHE will be open to negotiation on the DORIS and DOL implementation dates. We will be looking for a fixed price for the discovery phase and estimates for the DORIS and DOL phases.Additional Note We will look at for the suppliers to include their day rate in their proposals as this will provide a way to compare costs in the evaluation of proposals.