Camden Housing Repairs: Discovery to Alpha

Tender description

Summary of the work We are looking to provide an excellent user experience for our tenants when diagnosing, booking, amending and cancelling and monitoring housing repairs online. We would like an agency to help us redesign the user experience, looking at back-end integrations leading to further developments, and develop a Minimum Viable Product. Expected Contract Length Up to six months Latest start date Wednesday 30 June 2021 Budget Range Up to £115,000 Why the Work is Being Done The Council offers an existing service enabling tenants and leaseholders to request repairs. Most users access the service by phone, and it is typically the service with the highest volume. We want to improve the service to enable more residents to complete repairs online and design a better user experience for doing so. There is also a strong appetite to develop a new integrated solution that takes key data out of existing applications (integrated) and one that explores how a common service pattern can be integrated with existing housing repairs systems: API-led development Integrate with Camden's repairs systems Develop using Data Standards Reporting Diagnosing Scheduling an appointment Alert notifications about the appointment and stages Making changes to the appointment eg cancelling, rescheduling and escalating The aim of this discovery is to find out: Barriers for adoption of digital repair services. Elements best suited to automation/self-service. Optimal use of technology to improve user satisfaction and reduce costs. If a common service pattern for end-to-end delivery of repairs is possible How the service pattern can be mapped to other areas of Housing. Review of Housing Repairs process and systems and what the alpha would look like for this purpose. Problem to Be Solved Camden has continued to carry out essential repairs inside tenants’ homes and communal areas under the current lockdown. Current digital offer does not allow residents to book repairs online. A form collects information relating to the need which is then sent to a mailbox for manual processing. Bottlenecks have formed with a 25% increase in call volumes compared to last year. Immediate efforts are focusing on an interim booking solution where an appointment time can be offered, progress checks made, and amendments/cancellations made to repair bookings. Many residents presently get a better service via telephone, despite their expectation to be able to do so via the website. The push is to reduce the overall volume of calls to the contact centre and explore potential for self-serve options. Furthermore to: Consolidate reporting for staff and residents onto a single platform. Engage with leading suppliers of housing repairs systems to document and propose integration options. Identify cost implications to integrate with leading housing technology suppliers in the local government sector. Scope out full digital product development and the development of processes for all repair types. Finally, to consider how this will work for all types of repair, including rechargeable, communal and leaseholder. Who Are the Users As a Resident: I want an easy to use, accurate diagnosis process, so the job gets done right first time. I want to be able to book, amend, change, and cancel an appointment. I want to check progress of my repair, so I’m reassured it is being dealt with. I want to be kept informed. As a Contact Centre Agent: I want to streamline the online repairs service to improve efficiency/productivity. I need to manage problems involving multiple work orders so that we can solve complex issues quickly. I need easy access to information, so I can help callers. As a Repairs Operative/Contractor: I need to Know what I’m expected to fix, so that I arrive able to fix it. I need to raise additional jobs, so that repairs are resolved. I need to know jobs are recorded accurately, so that I am paid correctly. I need to receive job information so I can complete the work required. Early Market Engagement One-week technical discovery with Madetech - to lead the technical discovery and to provide a set of recommendations, which meet the GDS technology code of practice with the aim of producing a potential technical architecture to underpin an improved Housing Repair Digital Service. Work Already Done Internal repairs discovery July 2019 which focussed on the service in our contact centre and existing journeys on our website. There was no design research conducted. Existing Team The supplier will be working with members of the DIgital and Strategy teams in our Supporting Communities directorates, and with members of the Housing Repairs service. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Demonstrate their experience of repairs and housing transformation for local government • Demonstrate their data expertise and understanding of intergrating systems • Demonstrate how they will provide a multi-disciplinary team, including user research, service design, delivery management and development • Demonstrate their experience of working to GDS design principles • Demonstrate a track-record of user-centred design and Agile approaches • Include an example of one of their services that has been assessed against the Local Government Digital Service Standard or government service standard • Tell us about their approach to capability transfer and working with people that have limited digital experience • Provide an example of how they have worked in the open • Demonstrate experience of products that have been reused or design patterns that have been used in multiple contexts • Demonstrate their knowledge of Northgate, DRS/JM, Rapid, ROCC Nice to Haves • Experience of working on repairs service within social housing • Worked on a project with multiple partners • Have the ability to impart knowledge and skills to our in-house team during delivery of the project • Have additional resources available to call on to rescue delivery timelines should significant slippage occur Work Location London Borough of Camden Working Arrangments The supplier will be expected to conduct user research in line with current Covid restrictions. All associated expenses, including travel costs, should be included in your costs and will not be reimbursed separately. We expect daily stand-ups and regular onsite meetings in order to engage with Digital and Repairs Service colleagues and build broader engagement with the style of working. Security Clearance DBS clearance for those doing research with vulnerable tenants. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • technical solution • approach and methodology • how the approach or solution meets user needs • how the approach or solution meets our organisation’s policy or goal • estimated timeframes for the work • how risks and dependencies are identified, and how approaches are offered to manage them • team structure • value for money Cultural Fit Criteria • work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers • be transparent and collaborative when making decisions • have a no-blame culture and encourage people to learn from their mistakes • take responsibility for their work • share knowledge and experience with other team members • challenge the status quo • be comfortable standing up for their discipline • can work with clients with low technical expertise Payment Approach Capped time and materials Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 20% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. Do you have any technology preferences for the solution itself? The Discovery phase will dictate the technology preference. 2. 2 We have extensive experience and skills in all essential requirements, except “Include an example of one of their services that has been assessed against the Local Government Digital Service Standard or government service standard” and “Northgate, DRS/JM, Rapid, ROCC”. Although we have produced a pilot system for Barts Trust. Does this preclude us from applying? No, you may apply and we can score the application accordingly. 3. Is there an incumbent that has done previous work on this project? There is no incumbent supplier for this specific project. 4. How does this work relate to the MHCLG-funded Housing repairs service for local government Alphas and soon to be started Beta? There seems to be a lot of common ground, particularly in terms of service patterns, common APIs and Housing System integration. This work is independent of MHCLG. 5. Some suppliers requested a clarification of the following:‘Provide an example of how they have worked in the open’ We would like to know how the applicant has worked “in the open” with an organisation in a fully Agile way e.g. weeknotes, show and tells, being clear about involving others. 6. Could you please share the timelines for this procurement Suppliers shortlisted for assessment will be contacted in early June, and invited to an assessment which will take by the end of June. We anticipate awarding the contract in time for the work to begin by mid July, if not earlier. 7. ‘We would like an agency to help us redesign the user experience, looking at back-end integrations leading to further developments, and develop a Minimum Viable Product.’ Could you please say if developing the MVP is in scope? If so, what tech stack is preferable? The Discovery phase will dictate the technology preference, and developing the MVP is in scope. 8. regarding this question: “Demonstrate experience of products that have been reused or design patterns that have been used in multiple contexts” Are you looking for experience of us developing our own products and design patterns that have gone on to be reused by other organisations, or are you looking for experience of us reusing products or design patterns from other organisations? We looking for experience of using products and design patterns in multiple contexts. These can have been developed by the supplier and/or reusing products/patterns from other organisations. 9. Can this be custom built or is this an off the shelf product? The discovery phase should inform the technology preference, whether this is custom build or a configured off-the-shelf product or otherwise. 10. Do you hold detailed domain knowledge that a product owner could collaborate with you on? Yes. 11. Is the budget specified for the Discovery alone, or Discovery and Alpha? The budget is for the delivery of both the Discovery and Alpha phases. 12. Will you accept the team to be remote working or will on-site be a requirement for the project? There would likely need to be an element of face-to-face onsite presence for the Discovery phase (Covid guidance permitting). 13. Can you please share the technical discovery work completed by Madetech? You can download this report here:https://consultations.wearecamden.org/supporting-communities/5ae7ca36/ 14. Can you please share the internal discovery work completed in July 2019? You can download this report here (see Feb 2020):https://consultations.wearecamden.org/supporting-communities/5ae7ca36/