Installation services (except software)

Tender description

The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) requires a specialist contractor to replace its current Sound and Voting (S&V) system. The associated microphones and speakers will provide broadcast quality audio and high-quality sound reinforcement in the debating chamber. This business-critical system will allow Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) to positively log-in and log-out of the consoles and register votes on matters being discussed. The S&V system must be capable of importing and exporting and live flow of data. The system must ensure that exported data is indexed to imported data, aggregated where required and able to be exported to further business systems. This will require the contractor to undertake and support a level of integration between the new S&V system and existing services and systems that run on the Scottish Parliament Corporate IT network. The contractor must also be able to provide full training for system users, planned and reactive maintenance on the entire system and possess the capability to undertake future upgrade/project works when requested. The SPCB requires a contractor to replace its current Sound and Voting (S&V) system and maintain the new system to ensure exemplary levels of availability. The new S&V system will provide at least 131 consoles in the debating chamber. Consoles must be aesthetically pleasing and fit in with building architecture and be adaptable and configurable to ensure that users with accessibility requirements are considered. Consoles must allow Members of the Scottish Parliament(MSPs) to register a vote on matters being discussed. Consoles will allow MSPs to register a request to speak with requests managed at a central point on the chamber podium. A microphone and speaker will be provided at each desk. Desk microphones will be enabled/disabled individually from this central point with audio from microphones integrated into the chamber audio and PA system. MSPs must receive confirmation of their vote on the console and consoles must have screens to allow MSPs to see voting options. MSPs must be able to positively log in/out of consoles and be positively identified on the S&V system through this method. Currently a corporate photographic ID card with an embedded chip is used to perform this function. These same proxy cards will be used on the new S&V system and perform the same function. Suppliers are expected to ensure that their system is compatible with these existing RFID cards and undertake any changes to their consoles necessary to ensure this. The S&V system must accept data inputs from a variety of sources and allow flexibility in the administration of this data in real-time (e.g. ability to manipulate the order in which votes are taken and adding items on which a vote will be called). Sources of data will include services and systems running on the Scottish Parliament Corporate IT network (IT network) and via direct file transfer i.e. portable memory device. The S&V system should provide the ability to output data, on demand and in real-time, in a format(s) that can be integrated with current and future Scottish Parliament systems. Data must be transferable with the IT network using standard data interchange formats, including XML and JSON, and mechanisms such as file import/export or API integration. Typical information that the S&V system must be able to accept includes data fields such as vote names and identifying attributes like numbers and letters. Data collected by the S&V system must be associated with inputted data assigned to users by the S&V system and, where appropriate, aggregated and exported in several formats. The contractor must provide any and all integration work required to ensure accurate and secure capture and transfer of data to and from the S&V system to the IT network. The contractor must where required repurpose existing equipment and transition this along with new items into their solution as part of their installation. During installation of the new S&V system the existing system will remain in operation and only removed once the new system has been demonstrated as being fully operational and meeting agreed standards. The contractor will provide all training for users and provide a planned and reactive maintenance service covering new and retained parts of the system. All maintenance work must be targeted to ensure that agreed availability targets for the whole system are achieved. This system is business critical, to minimise impact the contractor must be able to provide immediate fault resolution. During the Contract minor upgrade and project works may be requested, this could include refresher training for users. The contractor will be expected to deliver any works to agreed timescales and costs. Installation, commissioning, testing and user training for new consoles must take place in a specific, limited time period. The Contractor must be able to mobilise sufficient skilled resources to ensure successful delivery in this period. It is anticipated installation will take place during July and August 2021