IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Tender description

The CMA operates a bespoke computer system and associated business processes, known collectively as the “Central Systems”, in order to carry out market administration. The core functions of the central systems are registration and settlement. Registration is the process whereby the CMA maintains a record of which customers are supplied by which licensed provider. Settlement is the process of calculating the wholesale charges attributable to each licensed provider on the basis of the customers that are registered to them. In carrying out registration and settlement, the Central Systems act as a hub for the exchange of data through electronic transactions between participants. The contracts that support the central systems expire at the end of 2019. During 2019, the CMA will be seeking to procurement replacement services. Services required will include provision of application development and maintenance services of the central systems in line with market and regulatory requirements. This will involve delivery of 2 or 3 releases of software each year and production of related documentation. Services required will include day-to-day operation of the central systems and provision of service to agreed service levels, maintain overall reliability and security levels. Maintain service management processes and documentation and operate a service desk. Services required will include provision of physical hosting location and physical security and connectivity between the hosting location and the CMA Scotland location in Scotland and CMA Scotland’s end customers: the Market Participants. The supplier will also be responsible for implementation of patches and fixes and maintenance of related records. Services required will include development of overall test strategy and test plans for the central market systems and coordination and execution of necessary tests.