Administration services

Tender description

Contract for the provision of back-office services for Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) to support the processing of passport applications. Required services include secure handling and digitisation of documentation, cashiering and payment processing, checking and validation of documentation, physical storage and retrieval of documentation and the return of documentation to the applicant. This service will support the transformation strategy of HMPO to become a modern digital business, reducing and removing reliance on the current paper workflow while maintaining the business continuity of existing services. Services must be delivered from two secure document handling units located at supplier’s facilities. Further information is available via the Crown Commercial Service's eSourcing Suite. Established in 2006, Her Majesty’s Passport Office provides passport services for British nationals residing in the UK and to those residing overseas with over 6 million passports issued each year. The current contract for handling and preparing new applications for examination by HMPO staff is due to expire. HMPO seeks a commercial partner to provide new replacement service to both maintain business continuity while transforming existing arrangements to introduce a modern, digital service. This will be delivered within two secure document handling units (DHU) located at supplier’s facilities. It will reduce the flow of hardcopy documentation across the business, eliminate geographical restraints, maximise efficiency and quality and improve document fraud detection. Services will include scalable provision to meet varying levels of demand in both the short and long term to required deadlines; digitisation and association of any paper input submitted as part of an application; handling, sortation, security screening, opening and tracking of incoming mail; processing of application payments; verification of the physical integrity and validity of paper applications and supporting documents; scanning of paper applications and supporting documents to a quality that enables accurate transfer of applicant data and examination by HMPO staff; engaging with applicants and HMPO staff to ensure required information is received; secure storage of data and transfer of data to HMPO systems in conformance to industry information security management standards; responsibility for documents lost or damaged within the DHU; Documents to be stored and prepared for return to Applicants, forwarded to other Government Departments or Third Parties as required.