Heat Network Zoning (HNZ) Digital Service (Discovery & Alpha)

Tender description

Summary of the work We require a skilled service design team to help BEIS deliver a new digital service that meets the needs of all users and GDS service standards though discovery and alpha, enabling our users to define heat network zones within their local area visually. Expected Contract Length Discovery - 6 weeks. Alpha – 8 weeks. Break clause between Discovery & Alpha Latest start date Wednesday 30 November 2022 Budget Range Responses with costs above £501,000 including VAT (£417,500 excluding VAT) will not be considered. Why the Work is Being Done In autumn 2021 BEIS consulted on proposals which envisage central and local government working together with industry and local stakeholders to identify and designate planning areas within which heat networks are the lowest cost, low carbon solution for decarbonising heating. A nationwide methodology is being developed by the Heat Network Zoning (HNZ) team for identifying and designating Heat Network (HN) zones. HNZ primary legislation is being introduced through the Energy Bill this year and will be followed up with secondary legislation in 2023-25. A HN model is being developed to identify prototype zone boundaries and starter heat network routing with supporting database of building supply and demand opportunities. This requirement is for: •a 6 week Discovery followed by a pause for assessment and approval of Discovery outcomes; and subject to Discovery approval •an 8 week Alpha phase. Information generated by the Discovery & Alpha phase will feed into the business case for Zoning (both outline and full) which will need to be finalised by July 2023. Delivering to these timescales will also allow for a Beta phase to be commenced and delivered ahead of 2025 when the digital platform will be required to start delivery of the zoning policy. Problem to Be Solved BEIS are developing: •a national methodology to identify HN zone boundaries •geo-packages representing them •indicative HN routing across England •database of building supply/demand opportunities. Currently the methodology outputs are accessible only to mapping specialists, they’re not user friendly for those impacted by the legislation i.e. Local authorities and Businesses - who will have statutory duties if they fall within a zone. We require a display of outputs through a user interface, accessible to all users. This enables the communication of zone locations and the policy and statutory duties ensuring that user needs (Central/Local Government, HN Supply Chain and Building owners) are met. We need a team with user research and technical digital expertise to learn about: •Users and what they’re trying to achieve. •Constraints to zone efficiency because of existing service, technology or legislation. •Underlying policy intent e.g. how Zones (and communication of them) and how the service can support its realisation. •Opportunities to improve e.g., sharing data with others. The supplier’s team will supplement the existing internal team providing service delivery and UX design skills, user research and content design support' For the Alpha phase the project team will require additional technical and data architecture and developer support. Who Are the Users Likely user groups: •Department of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), zoning policy owner, -I need to provide details of HN Zones to inform external stakeholders so they can respond accordingly. -I need to know how effective the digital service is so if it is not meeting objectives changes can be made. •Department for Levelling Up, Communities & Housing I need to know where HN zones are, and what planning changes are being made due to the zoning policy to enable effective and joined up Local Authority (LA) planning. •HN Market Regulator (Ofgem) I need up to date information on zoning locations to assess whether legislative requirements are met. •Zoning co-ordinators (LA’s) I need to identify local HN zones to ensure planning rules reflect this, and HN Zoning requirements are enforced. •HN specialist consultants/developers/operators - I need to identify HN zones to carry out business development activities and reflect the implications of HN Zones in Feasibility/other studies and/or advice I provide to clients. Also, to plan to connect buildings to my HN. •Building owner within a HN zone I need to know whether I am covered by this policy so I can plan a HN connection. Early Market Engagement The Zoning policy has been consulted upon with the full consultation and market response here: [https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposals-for-heat-network-zoning] The policy and model being developed for the national methodology is being tested with 28 Local Authorities and nine specialist engineering Consultancies with more information available here: [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-networks-zoning-pilot]. No early market engagement in regard to Discovery and Alpha has been undertaken. Work Already Done None Existing Team The supplier will work with a team of four who will undertake project management and provide input into the Discovery and Alpha phases. This will include a service owner, product manager and contract manager. There will also be input from the wider Heat Network team from a policy and technical perspective. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Demonstrate your teams experience of conducting Discovery research for new service design, including how you conduct user research and your methodologies, in accordance with GDS/CDDO and GOV.UK standards. • Demonstrate your experience of agile project management skills, in accordance with GDS/CDDO and GOV.UK standards. • Demonstrate your experience in building a strong understanding of technological constraints, existing contracts, legislation and other existing processes and systems. • Demonstrate how you have experience of mapping wider services in the problem space. • Have experience of developing a service vision, service design and key performance indicators. • Have experience in running stakeholder workshops. • Have experience with energy data visualisation and/or visualisation of geo-spatial mapping solutions • Have experience with energy data visualisation and/or visualisation of geo-spatial mapping solutions Work Location Majority of work will be conducted remotely, but we expect the supplier's core team to be available up to five times for face-to-face activity at the BEIS offices in London (1 Victoria Street, SW1H 0ET). Travel expenses will not be reimbursed. Working Arrangments The BEIS team (1 service manager, 1 product manager, 1 contract manager for Alpha & Discovery) will be available to support the selected delivery partner 5 days per week (Monday to Friday) and expect this commitment from the delivery partner. Delivery will be governed by standard agile delivery techniques. These could be either a Kanban or a scrum approach (depending on the work) but the standard agile ceremonies appropriate to those will be undertaken. We expect these to be led by the Delivery Manager, who will work collaboratively with the Product Manager to prioritise backlogs in refinement sessions. Security Clearance The level of clearance for this requirement is an Enhanced DBS and BPSS, suppliers who do not currently have this will not be excluded from the process however will be expected have upon contract start. Additional T&Cs Any bids that propose conditions to the standard terms and conditions will be disqualified. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 4 Proposal Criteria • Your team's approach and the methodology you will use to meet our need (30%) • How the structure of the team and how their technical skills and experience will be used to deliver the need, including estimated resource dedicated to the project (30%) • A project plan with proposed timelines for mobilisation and delivery (30%) • How you will take previous learning to deliver better value for this project (10%) Cultural Fit Criteria • Demonstrate experience of working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary agile team (12.5%) • Demonstrate experience of proactively engaging with stakeholders to progress a project and communicating in an appropriate manner for the audience (12.5%) • Demonstrate a way of working that is open, honest and constructive (12.5%) • Demonstrate experience of responding to change and taking ownership of a requirement (12.5%) • Demonstrate your use of apprentices, graduates or how you might upskill your workforce through the experience of working on the Discovery & Alpha? (50%) Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method • Work history • Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 50% Cultural fit 20% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers 1. **IMPORTANT**Is there an alternative question required to meet the criteria as Question 7 & 8 seem to be duplicated? **IMPORTANT**Yes, Question 7 & 8 have accidentally been duplicated. Question 8 is as follows: Have experience of using a mixed variety of research methods. 2. **IMPORTANT**We have noticed a duplication of the final 2 questions, is this intentional, and can suppliers submit the same response for both? **IMPORTANT**The final two questions have accidentally been duplicated.The final question to answer is as follows: Have experience of using a mixed variety of research methods. Please ensure an answer is submitted in response to this question. 3. Is it fair to assume that the identical last two bullets in the list of “Essential Skills & Experience” are a typo? The final two questions have accidentally been duplicated.The final question to answer is as follows: Have experience of using a mixed variety of research methods.Please ensure an answer is submitted in response to this question. 4. What is the anticipated timeline for the entire procurement process? Stage 1 - Shortlist suppliers: - Clarification questions deadline - 09/09/2022 - Deadline for supplier responses - 16/09/2022 - Shortlist suppliers - 26/09/2022Stage 2 - Full written proposal/evaluation from shortlisted suppliers - Publish requirements (procurement to be completed through our Jaggaer tendering platform) - 27/09/2022 - Clarification question deadline - 10/10/2022 - Deadline for written responses - 17/10/2022 - Presentations - 24/10/2022 to 25/10/2022 - Intention to award notification - 04/11/2022 - Standstill period - 07/11/2022 to 17/11/2022 - Award - 18/11/2022 - Contract commences - 28/11/2022 to 30/11/2022**Current forecast, but dates are subject to change** 5. Are suppliers permitted to use multiple examples in their answers? Yes, as long as your answer is within the word limit. 6. 1. What is the fourth role in the existing team please? Three have been listed as service owner, product manager, and contract manager.2. Is our understanding correct that the existing team is a service owner, product manager and a contract manager, and that the supplier is to provide service delivery and UX design skills, user research and content design support for Discovery, supplementing with technical and data architecture and development support in Alpha? 1. The existing team is the BEIS internal team and the fourth role would act as the Policy/Technical Advisor (HN Zoning)2. Thats correct, we expect the respondant to propose a suitable team and FTE to deliver the Discovery and Alpha work however we anticipate that the team will need to include service delivery and UX design skills, user research and content design support for Discovery, supplementing with technical and data architecture and development support in Alpha. 7. What do you mean by “problem space” in question 4? Does this mean any problem space in which the bidder has conducted Discovery, or is this specific to the HNZ problem space? The question asks the respondant to "Demonstrate how you have experience of mapping wider services in the problem space." where in this context "problem space" is refering to Government Policy delivery ideally in regards to a relevant sector such as energy/decarbonisation/planning/zoning. 8. Could you please provide indicative timelines for Stage 2 of the procurement? Stage 2 - Full written proposal/evaluation from shortlisted suppliers - Publish requirements (procurement to be completed through our Jaggaer tendering platform) - 27/09/2022 - Clarification question deadline - 10/10/2022 - Deadline for written responses - 17/10/2022 - Presentations - 24/10/2022 to 25/10/2022 (please ensure your availability for one of these dates) - Intention to award notification - 04/11/2022 - Standstill period - 07/11/2022 to 17/11/2022 - Award - 18/11/2022 - Contract commences - 28/11/2022 to 30/11/2022**This is our current forecast, but all dates are subject to change** 9. What is the role of the 4th member in the existing team (in addition to the mentioned service owner, product manager and contract manager)? The existing team is the BEIS internal team and the fourth role would act as the Policy/Technical Advisor (HN Zoning) 10. What do you mean by “mapping wider services” in question 4? Please can you expand on this The question asks the respondent to "Demonstrate how you have experience of mapping wider services in the problem space." where in this context "problem space" is referring to Government Policy delivery ideally in regards to a relevant sector such as energy/decarbonisation/planning/zoning. 11. Could you please clarify if you expect project/delivery management to be provided by BEIS or the supplier, as reference is made to the Delivery Manager but it is not one of the named roles on the internal team? We would expect the supplier to fully resource their own internal agile project management function for this project, the BEIS team are supporting wider service project management of the supplier as well as interactions with the wider BEIS project teams and provide insights into BEIS priorities at the standard standups, retrospectives and planning meetings etc. 12. What are the timescales of the second stage? Stage 2 - Full written proposal/evaluation from shortlisted suppliers- Publish requirements (procurement to be completed through our Jaggaer tendering platform) - 27/09/2022- Clarification question deadline - 10/10/2022- Deadline for written responses - 17/10/2022- Presentations - 24/10/2022 to 25/10/2022 (please ensure your availability for one of these dates)- Intention to award notification - 04/11/2022- Standstill period - 07/11/2022 to 17/11/2022- Award - 18/11/2022- Contract commences - 28/11/2022 to 30/11/2022**This is our current forecast, but all dates are subject to change** 13. It is specified that the supplier team will work with a team of four in BEIS who will undertake project management and provide input into the Discovery and Alpha phases. How much engagement/time can we expect from this team? A representative of the BEIS project team is expected to be available for attendance at all of the standard agile ceremonies and any workshops or meetings that it is appropriate for them to attend. 14. In ‘early market engagement’, the link to the ‘zoning policy’ consultation and market response does not work. Is there an updated link and how do we get access to this content? https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposals-for-heat-network-zoning 15. In ‘early market engagement’, the link to information on the pilot with 28 Local Authorities and nine specialist engineering consultancies does not work. Is there an updated link and how do we get access to this content? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-networks-zoning-pilot 16. We note your comment in the marketplace listing: “Any bids that propose conditions to the standard terms and conditions will be disqualified.”We would like to request some time with you to discuss in more detail how the contract will be formed within the DOS framework as well as assumptions you would be comfortable with. In the interest of fairness to all parties involved, no private meetings will be held during the tender process. The proposed order form will be provided during stage 2, which will provide an idea of what schedules we believe should be included and excluded. If you have a specific question regarding the terms and conditions, please send a clarification question during stage 2, so we can respond to all parties with the information.