A discovery and alpha for a service that collects data to generate and disclose an energy rating.

Tender description

Summary of the work We require a skilled team with user research experience to conduct a Discovery and Alpha phase to create a digital service that enables building owners, tenants and assessors to engage, submit data, generate a rating, publicly disclose it, and compare the rating to other buildings. Expected Contract Length 16 weeks, with an optional extension of up to 4 weeks (if required). Latest start date Monday 1 November 2021 Budget Range It is estimated that the work can be delivered within the budget range of £450,000 to £600,000. Why the Work is Being Done The government proposes to introduce a national performance-based policy framework for rating the energy and carbon performance of commercial and industrial buildings above 1,000m² in England and Wales, with annual ratings and mandatory disclosure as the first step. The energy use and carbon emissions from a building will be benchmarked against similar buildings. This will then produce a simple rating where the highest star would represent the best and lowest the worst. Building owners and tenants will be required to obtain a rating on an annual basis, and have that rating disclosed publicly online. This will ensure that there is an awareness of, and accountability for, how they are using energy. A digital service is required to allow building owners, tenants and assessors to engage with the scheme, submit data, generate a rating, publicly disclose it, and compare the rating to other buildings. We will be running a pilot in April 2022, targeting the office sector initially before expanding to further sectors. We need to conduct a discovery phase to fully scope the technical landscape, user needs and identify the best route forward for developing the service. The Discovery will need to begin by 1 November 2021. Problem to Be Solved To develop a system that enables a performance-based energy rating to be generated and publicly disclosed so buildings are aware of their energy use. This involves: data from building owners, tenants and assessors; data validation by accreditation bodies and a scheme administrator, the generation of a rating, and disclosure of the rating online. We will need a team with user research and technical digital expertise to learn more about: - Our users and what they’re trying to achieve - Constraints on how the service is run e.g., because of existing service, technology or legislation - Underlying policy intent e.g. how the ratings will drive action - Opportunities to improve e.g., sharing/using data with other teams We expect the requirement will require the following capabilities for Discovery: - 2 x User Researchers - 1 x Service Designer - 1 x Product Manager - 1 x Delivery Manager - 1 x Business Analyst - 1 x Content Designer (minimal) - 1 Technical Architect (minima) - 1 Data Architect (minimal) For Alpha we expect the above, plus: - An additional Service Designer - 1 x Developer We welcome views from suppliers on how best to resource the team to meet the requirement. Who Are the Users As a building owner/tenant I need to be able to find out about the scheme and submit annual data in accordance with the scheme rules and guidelines to get a yearly rating for my building. This will provide me with information about how I'm using energy in my building compared to others, it will also provide transparency to the public about how I use energy and my carbon footprint. As an assessor, I'll need to be able to upload site audit data to the system every 4 years (sometimes more frequently) when a physical site assessment is required so that the owner/tenant can obtain a rating. I'll need to access and case manage ratings, validate data, and certify the rating. As a citizen, I need to check the rating of different businesses and building owners so that I know their performance compared to other similar types of buildings. As a scheme administrator I need to be able to oversee the service, support users through it, validate data and monitor compliance. Early Market Engagement None undertaken. Work Already Done None undertaken. Existing Team The team consists of a Project Manager and Service Owner, an industry expert on secondment from industry, and a mix of policy, project and analytical professionals. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • At least 3 years expertise in conducting discovery research for new service design, this includes conducting user research in accordance with GDS and GOV.UK standards. • At least 2 years of experience in working across Departments or teams with the ability to identify improvements and opportunities to collaborate. • At least 2 years of experience in developing a service vision, service design and key performance indicators. • At least 2 years of experience in technical and data investigation and exploration. • Has proven experience in agile project management skills. • Have experience that shows you are able to build a strong understanding of technological constraints, existing contracts, legislation and other existing processes and systems. • Have experience in running stakeholder workshops. • Experience of using a mixed variety of research methods. • Experience of mapping wider services in the problem space. • Has experience of working at pace. Nice to Haves • Experience of researching, designing or building digital services for use by businesses. • Experience of researching, desinging or building digital services in the energy or net zero space. Work Location BEIS Offices: 1 Victoria St, London SW1H 0ET, although home working will be required for a significant portion. Working Arrangments The team works in a hybrid manner with roughly 1 or 2 days in the office and the rest remotely; we would expect the supplier to follow a similar pattern. Security Clearance Every individual to have BPSS as a minimum. Additional T&Cs Standard contract, plus additional clauses to enable the buyer to terminate the contract after delivery of discovery. This would be used where further discovery is identified or the buyer decides the requirement is no longer needed. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • How your team's technical skills and experience will be used to deliver the need • Your team's approach, including timelines for mobilisation and delivery, and methodology to meet our need • Value for money, including how you will take previous learning to deliver better value for this project • A case study of successfully delivering discovery and alpha phases Cultural Fit Criteria • Demonstrate experience of working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary agile team • Demonstrate experience of proactively engaging with stakeholders to progress a project and communicating in an appropriate manner for the audience • Demonstrate a way of working that is open, honest and constructive • Demonstrate experience of responding to change • Demonstrate experience of taking ownership of a requirement Payment Approach Fixed price Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 20% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. Is there already an incumbent, if yes who are they? There is not an incumbent; this is a new requirement. 2. Who from your team will be scoring applications for this opportunity and what positions do they hold? The evaluation panel consists of the Service Owner, policy leads and BEIS Digital Assurance. 3. Have external suppliers been involved in the initial scoping work? The team have engaged with existing performance-based energy rating providers to understand their digital services to inform the UK Government's requirement. 4. Can you please elaborate on how an SME can fairly bid against incumbent suppliers in GDS expertise? All suppliers are treated equally on the basis of the information provided in their bid. 5. Would you accept a bid from SME with financial services exposure ? Suppliers are encouraged to provide examples of their choice that show how they meet the essential experience and skills needed to deliver this requirement. 6. Can you please advise the preferred technoloy stack for this opportunity? This will be an outcome of discovery and alpha, although our preference for hosting is on Gov.uk Platform as a Service (PaaS). The supplier will need to follow the principles of the Technology Code of Practice and Service Standards.