MOT Continuous Improvement Team

Tender description

Summary of the work To provide services required to the digital MOT services for software delivery and digital service provision (service design, software development, software testing, platform engineering, architecture, security and data engineering). Expected Contract Length Up to 15 months Latest start date Wednesday 1 January 2020 Budget Range The budget for 15 months cover would be up to a maximum of £3.5M. DVSA will review demand periodically and adjust resource levels accordingly with the supplier. Why the Work is Being Done To provide digital services required for MOT services for software delivery & digital service provision (service design, software development, software testing, platform engineering, architecture, security and data engineering). This work will deliver new features ensuring technical currency of the existing MOT digital services. The MOT CI Team will deliver against the DVSA-prioritised backlogs of work for MOT which will include the Platform, Data and CI backlogs; deliver new features based on user feedback, operability, technical currency or to support Policy change, and result in technically current services that are secure, maintainable and extensible. 5 current live services: • MOT Testing Service (MTS) - a web-based MOT application used by authorised MOT testers to record MOT test results, and to perform DVSA administrative/enforcement activities. • MOT History (MOTH) - a web-based service allowing public to view a vehicle's MOT history • MOT Reminders (MOTR) - a web-based service allowing public to request a MOT reminder via email/text. • Trade API (TAPI) - an API only service that authorised trade and business users call for MOT History data. • Commercial Vehicle Recalls (CVR) - a web-based service that allows users to see whether there is a manufacturer recall active against their vehicle. Problem to Be Solved There are a new features to be built, operability work, security fixes, bug fixing across the MOT services prioritised in the MOT CI backlog. The technologies used are: Amazon Web Services Hosting EC2, ELB, S3, RDS, API Gateway, AWS Lambda, SQS, SES, Elasticsearch, ElastiCache, ECR, Code Commit, CloudWatch, CloudWatch Logs, EFS, DynamoDB, KMS, Route53 General Infrastructure tools and Infra as code tooling Jenkins, Selenium, Terraform, Ansible Runtimes and Languages PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, Groovy MTS - PHP ZF3 web application with API components, built in PHP/ZF3, Java/DropWizard and Java/AWS Lambda, with an AWS RDS data tier; plus AWS IoT component using Node JS/TypeScript/AWS Lambda with a DynamoDB data tier is increasingly important. MOTH - PHP/ZF3 web application - Java/DropWizard API component, a Node JS/AWS Lambda API component, with a replica of MTS RDS data tier. MOTR - serverless application, Java build on AWS Lambda, with a DynamoDB data tier. TAPI - serverless application Java build on AWS Lambda, with a replica of the MTS RDS data tier. CVR - serverless web application and API built in JavaScript on AWS Lambda, with a DynamoDB data tier. Services must remain highly available, secure, resilient and technically current whilst built upon. Who Are the Users The MOT family of services have a variety of different users including: members of the public, MOT Testers, DVSA Vehicle Examiners, DVSA staff and trade users. The prioritised backlog is comprised of Stories (and bugs, spikes, tasks etc.) from different user perspectives across the different MOT services. Early Market Engagement None undertaken. Work Already Done The MOT Project has been running for approx. 5 years and recently closed (31/09/19) and MOT entered Continuous Improvement(CI). MTS - URL: https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/ MOTH - URL: https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ MOTR - MOT Reminders - https://www.reminders.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/ TAPI - URL: https://dvsa.github.io/mot-history-api-documentation/ CVR – https://www.check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk These are complex cloud based (and in some cases cloud-native) solutions that represent end-user interaction with the DVSA. Existing Team The existing team comprises 32 roles. 20 of these are provided by a supplier and this contract will be to provide similar roles or capability to the MOT digital service. The supplier roles that we have on the team include: Technical Architect Scrum Master Technical Lead Senior Developers Data engineers Senior Testers DevOps / Platform Engineers Performance Analyst Release Manager Content Designer User Research Service Designer Business Analyst DVSA currently have these permanent roles on the team: Delivery Manager Service Design Lead Senior Developer Developer Tester DevOps / Platform Engineer Business Analyst User Researcher Product Owner Current Phase Live Skills & Experience • Experience of architecting, developing and implementing AWS cloud-based digital services at scale e.g. UK Government. • Skills and experience in delivery roles (listed above) consistent with the technologies (listed below) to deliver large scale cloud-based digital services. • Experience with developing CI/CD delivery pipelines. • Experience with technical up-skilling of partner staff (e.g. helping the DVSA staff develop their skills). • Experience with Amazon Web Services Hosting: EC2, ELB, S3, RDS, API Gateway, AWS Lambda, SQS, SES, Elasticsearch, ElastiCache, ECR, Code Commit, CloudWatch, CloudWatch Logs, EFS, DynamoDB, KMS, Route53. • Experience and expertise with delivering automated test frameworks ideally using Selenium. • Expertise with developer best practice including pair programming, code reviews, TDD. • Experience of using GDS Design Principles and Digital Service Standard to deliver public facing digital services, outlining the principles applied, methods adopted and ability to deliver successful outcomes • Experience with helping partners to up-skill across a range of technology roles. • Experienced with Service Design including Design Thinking, Service Blueprinting and customer journey mapping. • Experienced with user research stratgey and execution to demonstrate user needs-based development. • Experience with general Infrastructure tools and Infra as code tooling: Jenkins, Selenium, Terraform, Ansible • Experience with Runtimes and Languages: PHP, Java, Python, Node.js, Groovy • Has good practices around documentation/knowledge transfer as standard ways of working . • Experience of providing clear approaches to Exit ahead of any transition to new providers. • Experience with JMeter and Selenium frameworks for automated testing. • NCSC cloud security principles for service security. • OWASP Application Security Verification Standard for application development and testing. • Familiarity with Imperva Incapsula. • Testing AWS account and Infrastructure configuration against CIS AWS Foundations Benchmark. Nice to Haves • Experience with GDS audit and assessment. • Experience coaching partners and teams with Agile practices • Allowing customers to access supplier in-house training resources to aid with customer up-skilling. • Has a demonstrable culture of continuous improvement. Work Location The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP Working Arrangments DVSA want the supplier to maximise the value proposition for CI. This may mean suggesting additional roles to those we have currently and will mean identifying the balance of roles required on the team. Currently DVSA have a software development team using Scrum and a Platform and Data team that use Kanban practices to manage their workloads. As Agile teams co-location is an important part of how we work and we would expect co-location to be maximised. Security Clearance Basic Security Clearance should be organised by the supplier for their staff. Additional T&Cs The Supplier will work to the DVSA Travel and Subsistence Policy. The Supplier will work to the requirements described in the ICT Policy Set and Security Management Processes. Termination for Convenience by DVSA will be 4 weeks notice. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • Technical Competency - demonstrtating required technical skills and capacity, and Exit Approach • Cultural Fit - demonstrating relevant experience, committment to DVSA Policies, and proposed working arrangements inc proposed team. • Price Cultural Fit Criteria • Experience with large-scale Agile delivery. Able to explain the key elements of what makes a delivery 'Agile'. • Experts with the Scrum framework and its use for software delivery. • Expertise with Kanban and Lean Software delivery concepts. • Partners that will work closely with a customer and that value a close and collaborative relationship. • Experts with DevOps principles and practice and can explain the CALMS acronym and the importance of these 5 areas to a DevOps team. • Experienced with CI and CD and with developing delivery pipelines that enable these. • Works as one team with the partner with a focus on the delivery. • Outcome and value focused and can help partners prioritise work in an Agile delivery environment. • Can advocate user needs based development and delivery of high quality digital solutions. • Will provide strong coaching, upskilling and knowledge transfer into the DVSA. • Specifically will provide strong coaching, upskilling and knowledge transfer to any Apprentices within the team. Payment Approach Time and materials Assessment Method • Case study • Work history • Reference • Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 20% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. ''Familiarity with Imperva Incapsula.'' – We are not sure how many firms would have experience with this, would you accept examples of experience with other WAF Enterprise Software systems? Our security rules mean that this tool offers specific capabilities that DVSA requires. Experience with similar tools will be considered but, if successful, it is likely that you would have to learn to work with the chosen DVSA WAF/DDOS protection/CDN tool. 2. Experience of providing clear approaches to Exit ahead of any transition to new providers.'' – Could you provide some more information on what areas you would like covered as part of the response please? We would like to understand how you would approach the transition. What factors and risks would you consider? How would these be controlled? 3. While we understand what the make up of the team should be, how many resources are you looking at to start with? Please let us know what you think you would need in order to maximise the value proposition. 4. The opportunity mentions “… co-location is an important part of how we work and we would expect co-location to be maximized”. Would you permit and be open to exploring the possibility of an approach that combines a core team co-located on-site supported by an other team members working from a remote supplier location within the UK? The requirement is for co-location in Nottingham. 5. Is this a re-tender and is the incumbent set up to tender? There is an incumbent who are on the DOS framework and they are not precluded from submitting a tender. 6. 'Would you consider working with a nearshore supplier (within or outside the EU)? The requirement is for co-location in Nottingham. 7. Can you please confirm if there is an incumbent? There is an incumbent who are on the DOS framework and they are not precluded from submitting a tender. 8. Experience with technical up-skilling of partner staff (e.g. helping the DVSA staff develop their skills)" and "Experience with helping partners to up-skill across a range of technology roles." re almost identical requests for evidence. Is there anything specific you want us to differentiate on in these requests for evidence? They're the same. 9. 1. The DOS notice states “Experience with helping partners to up-skill across a range of technology roles.” and “Experience coaching partners and teams with Agile practices”. Can DVSA clarify the term ‘partners’ in this sense?2. Can DVSA confirm that the budgetary figure of £3.5M over 15 months is based on past experience of operating an MOT CI team?3. Can DVSA confirm that the budgetary figure of £3.5M is committed? 1. An external supplier that we work very closely with. This is not a specific contractual term and rather describes the relationship.2. Yes we can confirm the budget is based on relevant experience.3. A proportion is committed - until the end of the financial year. Future budgets are committed closer to the start of the next financial year and can be subject to change. 10. Please can you advise who is the incumbent supplier and have they indicated they will be applying for this opportunity ? The incumbent is Kainos Software Ltd who are on the DOS Framework. 11. Who are the incumbent supplier on the programme please, thanks. The incumbent is Kainos Software Ltd