Defra Data Services Platform 3 (DSP3)

Tender description

Defra is the UK government department which is responsible for improving and protecting the environment. Defra aims to grow a green economy and sustain thriving rural communities, and also support the UK’s world-leading food, farming and fishing industries. The Data Services Platform (“DSP”) makes environmental data, from across Defra Group, available to a wide range of users. The DSP is used to share data openly or with controlled groups of users (e.g. Defra Group supply chain) or where data contains third party rights. The intention of the DSP is to deliver services that will be world-leading in under-pinning environmental improvements. The DSP can be accessed at https://environment.data.gov.uk. Lot 1: The overall objectives for the DSP3 contract are: a) to put in place all arrangements necessary to operate and maintain the current DSP services within 6 months of the contract commencement date (the “Transition Services”); b) to implement improvements to the DSP services within 12 months of the contract commencement date (the “Transformation Services”); c) to provide the core DSP functionality for current users, including: • provision of a data sharing platform; • linked data services; • metadata management; • creation and maintenance of any applications built on DSP data; • provision of a knowledgebase; • data access and rights management; • domain registration and URL proxy management; • IT service management (in accordance with ITIL v4) for the DSP platform; and • fulfilment of the applicable roles within the UK government's Digital, Data and Technology Professional Capability Framework. d) to have a managed service for the support, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the DSP during its business-as-usual operation. The contract duration will be five years with the option for three one-year extensions (5 + 1 + 1 + 1), subject to business need and Supplier performance; e) to have a platform that leverages investment made in the DSP to date and enables future flexibility across a convergent platform for managing Defra Group data and information systems and services. This may include the implementation of optional services or future requirements without the need for major capital investment beyond this project, including (but not limited to): • the DSP must have a product roadmap which includes functionality readily available in the proposed product suite beyond the functionality currently stated in the draft Contract that Defra may wish to implement via the Change Control Procedure; • the DSP may be required to exchange data and enable interoperability across new data and information systems and services in near real-time (e.g. by means of an open API, enabling unfettered access to all data wherever it is stored); • the DSP may be required to support the management of new data and information systems and services for other Defra Group bodies; • the DSP may be required (subject to user research) to develop and support new datasets, APIs, applications and digital services (similar to those set out in the APIs portal and the application gallery) in order to support the wider knowledge economy; • the DSP may be required to utilise capabilities in the product roadmap that could be used to replace other (aged) Defra Group systems (in whole or in part); • the DSP may be required to utilise capabilities in the product roadmap to deliver a platform that could be used to further develop the DSP interactive mapping capability for spatial services and data visualisation; and • the Supplier must propose new ideas, innovations, and service improvements via a bi-annual Continuous Improvement Plan.