C31006 - Resource Augmentation / Professional Services (Oracle ApEx)

Tender description

Summary of the work We require a strategic partner to work alongside our internal development function enabling us to deliver Oracle APEX (Application Express) designs and implementations for projects according to NHSBT and GDS/NHSX Technology principles. The partner must have in-house APEX development practice, demonstrable track record of delivering high quality APEX development services. Expected Contract Length 24 months Latest start date Thursday 1 July 2021 Why the Work is Being Done We are looking for a strategic partner to work alongside our internal development function enabling us to deliver Oracle APEX designs and implementations for projects according to NHSBT and GDS/NHSX Technology principles. The partner must have an in-house APEX development practice, demonstrable track record of delivering high quality APEX development services and supplementary resources to a wide variety of clients. Problem to Be Solved The service will provide resources to supplement existing NHSBT development teams where there are: - Resource shortfalls - Additional or specific expertise is required - Technology leadership / direction is required to application roadmaps - Future state technology options require evaluation - Technical debts need to be measured and monitored - Requirements to mature the in house APEX development function The service is expected to provide highly experienced Senior Technical Consultants and Analyst / Developers. Resources provided will have excellent communication, collaboration skills and be able to articulate themselves, clearly and concisely to stakeholders at all levels. NHSBT requires the team to: • work according to appropriate delivery methodologies and meet the GDS service standard https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/service-standard. • Work to a consistent set of standards and share knowledge and experience with NHSBT, embedding a product and service centric mindset • Bring their experience to drive up reuse, data-driven design, interoperability and capitalise on existing capabilities. • Harmoniously co-exist and collaborate throughout NHSBT, understanding the culture and values of the organisation • To be delivery and outcomes focussed Who Are the Users NHSBT business teams who will be utilising any applications developed. Business and Service Owners who need to understand how the technical solutions will deliver their requirements. Other NHS organisations who will be utilising the applications developed. Early Market Engagement Not Applicable Existing Team The supplier will be working with NHSBT's existing Solution Delivery teams, Business stakeholders and Business SME's, Product/Service Owners, Service Designers, Business Analysts, User Researchers, supplier technical SME's, Solution Architecture team, Security and Information Governance teams, Technology Services, Service Management, Project and Programme Managers and other relevant stakeholders. Current Phase Not applicable Skills & Experience • Evidence experience of running an Oracle APEX Development Service with 10+ UK based resources for 3+ organisations in the last 5 years showing the % mix of permanent/associate resources. • Evidence your ability and track record to provide all roles and expertise as detailed in the requirement for this service with all developers appropriately certified • Please demonstrate where you have increased the level of APEX application utilisation and maturity within an organisation • Please confirm you have produced application roadmaps for clients in the last 3 years over a wide range of applications (3 anonymised detailed examples will be required if short-listed) • Provide information of alignment with IR35 requirements for the public sector in running managed architecture & design services if your service includes bring in associate/contract resources Nice to Haves • • Demonstrate experience of influencing, implementing and using APEX Application Design best practice within a large-sized (5k+ employees) client organisation including reporting and management of technical debt. • • Demonstrate experience of assessing costs, architecture options, delivery approach, resources and timeframes based on scope/requirements. • • Demonstrate experience of delivering high quality E2E solution designs (HLDs) for mid to large size projects. You will be required to provide 2 anonymised worked examples if short-listed. • • Demonstrate experience of Architecture & best practice definition in a Software engineering and development culture. • • Demonstrate experience of architecture best practice to support Dev Ops environment encompassing: continuous Integration, auto test and deploy. Work Location Primarily but not limited to: NHSBT, Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford, Avon, Bristol BS34 8RR Working Arrangments Individuals must be available to travel to NHSBT Centres in (but not limited to) Bristol once feasible under current pandemic conditions. Work will be conducted both face to face and remotely via Skype, Teams etc. Individuals must comply with the NHSBT Expenses Policy. Subject to any changes in policy, the resources will provide their own laptops and mobile phones for use on NHSBT premises. NHSBT provides secure access to its network as required. Security Clearance Not Applicable No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • Demonstrate experience of assessing costs,architecture options, delivery approach, resources and timeframes based on requirements. Provide example for a manufacturing/supply chain project including templates and tools used (5%) • Demonstrate experience of influencing,implementing and using APEX Application Design best practice within a large-sized (5k+ employees) client organisation including reporting and management and reduction of technical debt (with examples) (13%) • Provide evidence of value added to one of your clients in optimisation of the development process (5%) • Please provide an overview of the Software Development standards and frameworks you would expect a mature software-engineering practice to adhere to and best practice governance in an agile environment (5%) • Please provide 3 case studies that evidence similar work in similar sized organisations and describe the critical success factors for successful delivery that are relevant to NHSBT (10%) • Demonstrate experience of delivering high quality application solution designs (HLDs) for mid to large sized projects. Please provide 2 anonymised worked examples (5%) • Demonstrate approach to quality management of development deliverables (2%) Cultural Fit Criteria • • Please provide details of how you will work with the NHSBT team to share knowledge across the organisation and increase our architecture and design capability (10%) • • Please provide details of how you will ensure that NHSBT are provided with highly professional experts with strong communication and interpersonal skills (10%) Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method • Case study • Work history • Reference • Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 45% Cultural fit 20% Price 35% Questions from Suppliers 1. Please could you confirm timelines to contract award for the shortlisted bidders? We are currently aiming to shortlist suppliers on the 3rd June. The shortlisted suppliers will have from the 4th June until 12pm on the 11th June to respond to the technical, cultural and cost questions of the requirement, we are hoping to hold the evaluation of this phase on the 15th June with the award being made on the same day. 2. Please could you confirm the budget available for this work? The budget is up to £500K over the 24 month period. 3. Please could you confirm if you consider this engagement to be inside or outside of IR35. All contractors brought in to support the UK Public Sector must now comply with the IR35 tax compliance ruling. 4. Is there an incumbent supplier for this service? There is no incumbent supplier for this requirement. 5. The pandemic has shown us that development teams can not only continue to be productive but actively thrive in a fully remote working pattern. With this in mind, what proportion of on-site working in Bristol vs. remote working do you expect? What proportion of time do you expect to be required at your other sites and where are these? We anticipate up to 40% of time on-site working. Theis would be at Bristol – Stoke Gifford where the rest of the development team are based and would reflect the expected working pattern of the rest of the team in the future. There may occasionally be a requirement to travel to other sites for meetings – for example London or Manchester – but this would not be a frequent requirement. 6. Evidence your ability and track record to provide all roles and expertise as detailed in the requirement for this service with all developers appropriately certified”Please can you confirm if developer certification is necessary? If so, what specific certification are you looking for? Such a requirement has the potential to exclude a large proportion of the most experienced and able developers in the country. Certification such as Oracle Certified Professional for PL/SQL would be advantageous but is not mandatory. Relevant experience is more important. 7. With regard to this earlier response to a question: “All contractors brought in to support the UK Public Sector must now comply with the IR35 tax compliance ruling.”As the end client (and therefore the party required to provide the “Status Determination Statement”), what would be your determination of the IR35 status of any contractors used for this engagement? Or would you consider that the entire engagement is one of fully outsourcing deliverables and therefore that IR35 does not apply? After taking advice we consider all contractors engaged in this work after contract award should be considered to be inside of IR35 and therefore captured by it.