Discovery and pilot of Robotic Process Automation

Tender description

Summary of the work A short discovery followed by a pilot of at least two Robotic Process Automations to enable a business case; understand the skills required; identify additional business processes that could benefit (achieved through internal communication) and provide assurance around technical, data and security risks. Expected Contract Length 9 weeks Latest start date Monday 28 January 2019 Budget Range Up to £20,000 for the discovery and pilot Why the Work is Being Done Kingston and Sutton councils would like to understand the potential for Robotic Process Automation to support the delivery of end-to-end digitisation. A short pilot and internal communications will help us to build a business case and identify a range of processes which could benefit from RPA; understand the skills it needs to maximise the potential of RPA; and provide assurance around technical, security and governance questions. Problem to Be Solved The councils have automated key parts of high volume business processes. However, due to challenges in the design of back office systems and the limitations of some older software there remains significant amounts of manual intervention. We believe that Robotic Process Automation can deliver significant efficiencies and error reduction in business processing. Piloting RPA can give us better data to understand the costs and benefits of the solution, and develop its knowledge for the range of services to which it can be applied. Who Are the Users As a head of service I need to see RPA in action on a business process so that I can have confidence in the business case. As a Digital and IT professional I need to see RPA training so that I can understand what skills are required to support its expansion. As a Digital and IT professional I need to see RPA in action so that I can provide assurances around security and data governance. As a service manager I need to see RPA in action so I can understand where it might benefit my service and residents / users. Early Market Engagement None Work Already Done The councils have a Digital Strategy and there is a theme within the strategy regarding maximising the use of technology. We are undertaking digital service redesign and need to make significant savings, and we think RPA will support this. Existing Team We have a multi-disciplinary team which works alongside corporate transformation teams and service areas to undertake digital service design. Existing skills include business analysis, development, testing, user research, interaction design, data management, user experience, and more. The team works using an Agile approach. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Have experience of introducing RPA in a local authority. • Have engaging ways of promoting RPA to other services within a local authority. • Support knowledge transfer so that we can understand what skills it requires in-house and from agencies. • Have demonstrable experience of working on a pilot. • Be able to measure the benefits of the trial. Nice to Haves Provide demonstrable examples of promoting RPA to other potential service areas. Work Location Guildhall Complex, High Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU and Civic Centre, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA Working Arrangments The supplier can work remotely, but is expected to be onsite at key stages of both the discovery and pilot to run some workshops and support some internal communications events which show the benefits of the solution and help build the business case. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • Value for money • How the proposed approach meets user needs • Creativity in the design of the pilot • Technical solution Cultural Fit Criteria • Work collaboratively with colleagues in service areas and Digital & IT. • Have a 'can do' approach to ensure the pilot is a success. • Experience delivering in an open, collaborate, agile way according to the principles outlined in the Government Service Design Manual. • Demonstrate simplicity (e.g. do less but better, explaining complex issues in a clear, simple way, break down and prioritise complex issues). • Work as a team with our organisations, partners and other suppliers. • Be transparent and collaborative when making decisions. • Share knowledge and experience with team members and the wider service. • Work openly - for example, sharing findings from other councils and with other councils. Payment Approach Fixed price Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 50% Cultural fit 20% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers 1. Have any target business processes or preferred service area already been identified for the RPA pilot? The discovery phase is intended to confirm the most appropriate business processes and service areas, and we are looking to learn from experiences of other local authorities. We suggest an initial focus on revenues and benefits, adults' social care, and / or employee lifecycle processes, but look to suppliers to provide guidance from their experience. 2. Would the authorities be comfortable with some of the pilot discovery, design and development work being carried out offshore? In principle the authorities would be comfortable with some of the work being carried out offshore, but the proposal would need to demonstrate how that would be compatible with delivering the outcomes required. 3. Is the expectation that the automation will lead to a positive business case in all instances? No. One of the main purposes of this discovery and pilot is to make sure we properly understand when robotic process automation would be appropriate, and, equally, when it wouldn't. 4. Has any previous analysis on opportunities for RPA implementations been completed? No. We are aware of some other authorities who have implemented some RPA processes, but we have not yet undertaken any analysis of its benefits to Kingston and Sutton. 5. Can you please confirm which key parts of which high volume business processes you have already automated and how you have automated these? Most of the processes relating to waste and recycling are automated through workflow and end-to-end, two-way integrations with a number of different line of business systems and web services. 6. Is the £20k fee expected to include travel/subsistence costs and VAT? The £20k budget is exclusive of VAT but inclusive of expenses. 7. Have any target business processes or preferred service area already been identified for the project? The discovery phase is intended to confirm the most appropriate business processes and service areas, and we are looking to learn from experiences of other local authorities. We suggest an initial focus on revenues and benefits, adults' social care, and / or employee lifecycle processes, but look to suppliers to provide guidance from their experience. 8. Is this role outside IR35 or inside IR35? Outside. 9. Is there an early idea of the RPA software preferred for the pilot or does it have to be suggested by the successful supplier? No, we have not undertaken a commissioning exercise for RPA software, so we do not have a preferred supplier. If the pilot is successful and we are able to build a strong business case, we would then need to commission an appropriate solution, which might not be the same as the one used in the pilot. 10. How can we determine that the POC was successful? What will be the acceptance criteria of the POC? The purpose of the proof of concept is to determine whether there is a solid business case for investing in robotic process automation, as well as identifying what types of processes would be suitable (and, equally importantly, which ones wouldn't). We would expect to work with the successful supplier to define success criteria at the beginning of the project. 11. In case of success, what will be the next steps? An outcome of this work, if the pilot is successful, is to develop a strong business case and a plan for delivery. This would need to involve a commissioning exercise to procure the most appropriate solution. 12. What are the technologies involved in all the applications? We use numerous technologies (too many for the 100 word limit). Outcomes of this discovery and pilot need to include identification of any limitations to robotic process automation due to current technologies. 13. What are the expectations, for the Digital and IT professionals, around security? What kind of automatisation is expected at this level? Any robotic processes that are piloted will obviously need to be fully secure and comply with data protection regulations, working with information asset owners as appropriate. The exact requirements will need to be identified through the discovery phase. 14. Is it possible for you to provide a high-level description of a business flow? An example business process relating to the employee lifecycle is someone leaving the organisation and multiple systems need to be updated to reflect this change.