Digital Travel Diary for the National Travel Survey (NTS) Alpha&Beta

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done The main component of the NTS is a one-week travel diary completed annually by 15,000 participants by pen and paper. A Discovery concluded that a well-designed digital diary would better meet user needs than a paper diary as it could collect better quality data and reduce respondent burden. The Discovery advised to test two prototypes - a web-based form replicating the paper diary as a Minimum Viable Product and an enhanced diary with additional features such as GPS to record journeys. Alpha will design and test paper and digital prototypes for these diaries to identify solutions to develop in Beta. Problem to Be Solved Aim: Design a digital-diary which collects quality data, reduces respondent/interviewer burden and increase efficiencies. Alpha will: • Develop/test both the MVP and enhanced prototypes, identifying problems and finding solutions. • Test features and research questions identified in the Discovery: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1O617E6B6Qb9ajAq0vnH_wUI8mUJHNfou • Develop/test chosen option(s), demonstrating technical, financial, contractual and legal feasibility • Provide indicative breakdown of system development and post-build lifetime costs (including hosting) for the MVP and enhanced diaries separately • Establish how to create an efficient structure for processing diary data • Identify whats required in Beta, highlighting risks/dependencies The final products will be developed in Beta. Who Are the Users Survey participants Alpha will need to test for solutions which would make a digital diary less of a burden for participants than a paper diary. NTS Data users DfT and OGDs use NTS data to inform their evidence base for transport planning and policy initiatives. Alpha will need to test for solutions which would better meet these users data requirements. NTS team and contractor Proposed solutions will need to meet Architecture Principles and Standards in order to create an efficient structure for processing diary data: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1v0k8Gqnk1kUSBEk-NzxGPV1MZDQca4-g Survey Interviewers Interviewers experience with conducting the survey will be valuable for this project. Early Market Engagement The Discovery report is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/804635/nts-digital-diary-discovery-report.pdf Work Already Done Any work that’s already been done (Optional) (100 words) A Discovery was recently conducted investigating whether a digital diary had the potential to reduce burden, improve data quality, create efficiencies and better meet user needs than a pen and paper travel diary. The Discovery provided recommendations and experiments for the Alpha phase. It is expected that the supplier will design the Alpha phase based on these recommendations and experiments. The Discovery report is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/804635/nts-digital-diary-discovery-report.pdf Existing Team The appointed agency will be expected to work closely with • The NTS team, which consists of 4 statisticians • The DfT Digital Team, which includes Architecture and Live Services • NatCen, the NTS contractors who are responsible for conducting the survey • Diary users and interviewers during user testing Current Phase Alpha Work Location The majority of the work will be conducted at the suppliers own site (or other chosen location). The supplier will be expected to attend the premises of the NTS and NatCen teams when required (e.g. giving presentations). Conducting of user research may require travel around England. No Travel rates will to be incurred within the M25 corridor and any outside M25 The Departments Travel Rates will apply. The NTS team is based at the DfT’s Great Minster House office (33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR). The NatCen team is based at 35 Northampton Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 0AX. Working Arrangments Bidders to provide preferred approach. The exact milestones will be agreed with the successful bidder when appointed. Weekly status updates should be provided. A report, presentation and working prototypes will be required for Alpha. This includes preparing and passing the prototypes for GDS Alpha service assessment and iterating how the Technology Code of Practice is met. Solution to be hosted on DfT’s Google Cloud platform, needs to align to DfT’s Digital and Technology Strategy and follow Architecture Principles & Standards. Knowledge and skills to be transferred to DfT so that final solution can be operated in-house. Security Clearance BPSS – Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Evidence of if BPSS is current or where you are in the process of obtaining BPSS will be requested as part of the written proposals @ stage 2 (not part of the word count) Additional T&Cs N/A Skills & Experience Demonstrable evidence of successfully delivering alpha/beta phases in line with GDS criteria for a government department Proven and demonstrable experience of designing and testing prototypes and identifying feasible solutions to the problem Proven/demonstrable track record of delivering projects at speed using agile project management methodology with clearly identified deliverables/imescales, flexibility to make late changes and reformulating to maintain project progress Demonstrable evidence of excellent coordination and communication skills with the team the supplier is contracted to Demonstrable evidence of a robust risk management process Experience of modelling and building different data structures to meet differing data requirements. Experience of using data validation methods including using master and reference data to improve data quality during the process of data collection, transformation and analysis. Experience of using data engineering approaches and technology to transform the structure/format of data to support different data requirements. Nice to Haves Experience in designing digital solutions which are transport related Experience in designing digital solutions which are survey related No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 6 Proposal Criteria Identify the approach/methodology to the Alpha project planning and delivery and identify the main stages and activities proposed at each stage. (15%) How the approach or solution will address the research questions (10%) Clear demonstration of how the approach or solution meets user needs including data users, survey respondents and survey interviewers (10%) How risks and dependencies have been identified and what approaches have been offered to manage and mitigate them (10%) Detailed resource plan – demonstrating how in-house, supplier and external resource will be used and at what stage (5%) Estimated timeframes for the work (5%) Suppliers must demonstrate experience in designing/developing end to end solutions (including front and back end) through a range of previous work for customers on a similar scale. (5%) Cultural Fit Criteria Experience of transparent and collaborative decision making (5%) Experience of taking responsibility for their work and resolving problems effectively (5%) Evidence of strategic thinking striving to deliver best possible solution/concept possible. (5%) Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Written proposal Case study Work history Reference Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 15% Price 25% Questions from Suppliers Budget range up to £200k for alpha exclusive of vat. there will be the potential to extend to beta and we expect suppliers at this early stage to suggest a time frame for beta and costings.