Datastore, Rules and Visualisation (DRV)

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done The project is part of the Environment Agency’s CAMC (Creating Asset Management Capacity) programme, which is improving the way in which we manage our Flood Risk assets. As part of this programme the EA are aiming to reach BIM level 2, and therefore have a need to improve the quality of verified asset data. This project will improve the current manual exchange of data from geoCOBie and IDP files through the project lifecycle, by introducing a rules service which will provide automated verification and validation of asset data during submission. This service will permit data which meets agreed parameters (as defined in the data requirements library), and report back to the submitter any failed data, enabling them to resolve this before re-submission. Data which passes verification and validation will be stored in a central repository (Microsoft SQL Azure), enabling it to be surfaced by visualisation tools and services (Power BI, 3d-modelling, mapping services). User needs have been completed for the Discovery phase and the project is now ready to move into the Alpha phase. Problem to Be Solved We would like a delivery partner with the skills and capabilities to design, configure, build and deploy a service. The service will need to interact with geoCOBie/IDP files within our common data environment (Asite), read and verify this data against define business and data rules, provide reports back to the submitter as to the success of verification, and write data which passes validation into a SQL azure database. None of these components currently exist, so we would need the delivery partner to provision and build these components. There are several highly complex geospatial rules which will need proving, and so FME server is seen as the most appropriate technology by which to deliver these. In addition there is a complexity around concessions to rules, and versioning of rules which we need to validate during the PoC. Following the PoC we will need to understand the cost and effort involved in delivering a full service, as well as support in deploying the service to our internal environments. Who Are the Users Internal Environment Agency staff and approved external contractors (via the CDE) need to have access to a service which provides a database and an automated rules based workflow to verify and validate data. Early Market Engagement The project approached a number of suppliers found on G-Cloud 11 in February 2020 to receive rough order of magnitude (ROM) quotes. This enabled the completion of a strategic outline case, and to verify whether there were any delivery partners with the skills, expertise and availability to support the project. Work Already Done The project have completed Discovery, and created the following products: ‘As is’ and ‘to be’ process maps Detailed requirements covering the PoC, and future DRV service (including a requirements summary document) User stories for geoCOBie interactions An options paper covering technologies to deliver the service An architectural vision Cloud environment design Logical and Conceptual data models Scripts to deploy the SQL Azure databases – geoCOBie mapping to relevant fields The project have a good understanding of what's required. If interested in the Discovery work please request further information by emailing scott.latham@defra.gov.uk. Existing Team The project is being delivered by Defra’s Digital, Data and technology services on behalf of the Environment Agency. The team comprises: • Project Manager • Business Analyst • Technical Architect • Enterprise Architect • Data Architect • Cloud Architect • QA & Test Manager The project is working closely with the Environment Agency’s Creating Asset Management Capacity programme, which provides access to Asset Management subject matter experts Current Phase Alpha Work Location Due to COVID 19 this work is expected to take place remotely. Working Arrangments Work will need to be done remotely, so we require a delivery partner who are experienced in remote working and coordinating project delivery in this way. Security Clearance All members of the project team would require BPSS minimum. This comprises: Right to work Identity– ID Data check Criminal Records Employment history check We require some members of your project team to hold SC clearance, those who would potentially be involved in deployment of the product to Defra Environments. Additional T&Cs The EA / Defra will own all of the IPR, documentation, and bespoke components produced as part of this work. We will require a test strategy and clear evidence of bug and defect management and resolution before acceptance criteria can be met Ideally this project will be delivered using our internal Jira instance and arranged into sprints – with clear reporting and burn down charts. Skills & Experience Have extensive Agile and waterfall IT project delivery experience Have Cloud environment design, configuration and deployment (Microsoft Azure) experience Have Design, Configuration, and deployment of Microsoft SQL Azure databases experience Have Business Analysis and User Research for IT services experience Have data architecture – logical and conceptual data models experience Have DBA skills and expertise Have extensive experience of ETL tools, deployment of bespoke services using FME server Have comprehensive understanding of Enterprise Asset Management solutions Have extensive experience with geospatial data management, processing and exploitation Have extensive experience with enterprise GIS tools and services Have experience of application of data and business rules to ensure data quality, completeness and compliance Have experience of authoring complex workflows with multiple events Have a comprehensive understanding of Building Information Modelling (BIM) especially BS1192-4 and COBie information exchange processes Have experience of Supporting IT services, incident management. Have experience of IT service design Have experience of project delivery with large public sector organisations, and capability to resource appropriately Have design and delivery of technical proof of concepts (PoC) experience Have a robust approach to quality assurance and test – management of bugs and defects Must meet listed security criteria Nice to Haves Have experience of BIM (especially BS1192-4 and COBie information exchange processes) in the context of Flood Risk Asset Management Have previously worked with automation and extraction of data from geoCOBie/COBie Have expertise in the Information Delivery Plan (IDP) process Have experience of direct work with the Asite platform, and associated APIs Have experience of deployment, configuration and integration of Microsoft Power BI Have experience of deployment, configuration and integration of Microsoft Logic Apps / Power Automate (Flow) Have experience of on premise and cloud 3d modelling products Have experience of design and deployment of mapping services (e.g. Arc GIS online) Have experience of authoring of bespoke FME workbenches and connectors using Python No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria Technical solution, approach to architecture Approach and methodology Ability to deliver bespoke geospatial components of service Ability to deliver cloud components of service Understanding and expertise in applying business and data rules Expertise in data architecture, management, quality, and ETL tools Approach to quality assurance and test Understanding and expertise of Building Information Modelling (BIM) & BS1192-4 information exchange process Understanding and expertise of Asset Management How the approach or solution meets the DRVs objectives Innovative approach Estimated timeframes for the work, and availability of team How they’ve identified risks and dependencies and offered approaches to manage them Team structure and experience Value for money Cultural Fit Criteria Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers Be transparent and collaborative when making decisions Take responsibility for their work Share knowledge and experience with other team members Be able to work remotely using digital collaboration tools to successfully deliver projects Understand the need for high quality documentation and compliance with Defra’s design processes Understand how to work with government departments and additional sensitivity and security control required when working with government data, assets and infrastructure Be responsive and engaged during UK working hours (i.e. 9-5 UK time) Be collaborative and quickly able to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders Seek innovative solutions Payment Approach Fixed price Assessment Method Work history Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 50% Cultural fit 15% Price 35% Questions from Suppliers No questions have been answered yet Budget range to be confirmed.