K280021932 - Test Route Transformation Discovery

Tender description

Summary of the work Test routes are the basis of practical driving tests and allow examiners to give candidates directions or ask them to follow Satnav directions. DVSA wants to discover the problems it faces designing and delivering test routes and gain confidence that technology could transform this in the future. Expected Contract Length 12 weeks with the option to extend for a further 2 weeks, if required. Latest start date Thursday 9 March 2023 Budget Range This will be a fixed price discovery project up to the value of £115,000 Why the Work is Being Done DVSA has an ambition to use technology to improve the design and delivery of driving tests routes. The test route starts and finishes at the local driving test centre and is the basis of the main parts of the driving test. These are: • General driving ability where the examiner gives the candidate directions • Independent driving where the candidate follows directions on Satnav DVSA now wants to complete a 12-week Discovery, in 6 x 2-week sprints or as agreed with the supplier, that: • Ensures we understand the problem that needs to be solved • Revisits previous proof of concept work to give DVSA confidence that a working prototype can be built in Alpha Problem to Be Solved Test routes are designed and developed manually by the Local Driving Test Manager. It is time consuming to make sure each route meets all the legal requirements and flows consistently throughout the day, regardless of when the test is conducted and traffic conditions, so they complete reliably within test slot times. While important, learning test routes leads to inefficiencies. New examiners must learn routes before being able to test on them. This typically takes 3 or 4 drives around each route before an examiner knows the route well enough to give timely instructions to candidates. Existing examiners at a driving test centre must learn new or changed routes. DVSA does not publish test routes, but these can become common knowledge over time. Some driving instructors teach learner drivers the test route at the expense of learning to drive independently, regardless of test routes at a driving test centre. Anything that can be done to increase the variability of test routes leads to more of the latter, with road safety benefits. Who Are the Users The users are: • The driving examiners who deliver car practical driving tests • The local driving test managers who manage driving examiners and develop the routes followed on driving tests • Test candidates (or learner drivers) who take car practical driving tests DVSA expects initial test route transformation work to only impact examiners and local driving test managers. Test candidates and driving instructors are out of scope for Discovery. The scope of Discovery is car. Other categories of driving test – for example, motorcycle and lorry, bus – will be considered in Alpha and beyond. Work Already Done An algorithm-based proof of concept was completed 2½ years ago. This gave DVSA confidence in the general principle of a technology-based solution, although challenges remained about delivering a working prototype in Alpha. In addition, the proof of concept did not address typical Discovery questions, like user needs and policy intent. This is a rapidly developing technology field, and the landscape will have changed. Some documentation on previous work will be made available to shortlisted bidders. Existing Team The work will form part of the Flexible Test Delivery Service project. The dedicated team includes: • Head of Driver Transformation, the senior responsible owner (previously an Operations Manager with line responsibility for driving examiners) • Senior Delivery Manager (previously a local driving test manager) and Project Coordinator (previously a driving examiner) • Project Analyst, delivering business analysis for the project The project will also have access to Policy resource. Policy is responsible for National Driving Standards and the criteria on which test routes are based, and the underpinning regulatory framework. They sanction core changes to the driving test. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Detail your experience of understanding and defining problems during Discovery • Detail your experience of understanding user needs and engaging stakeholders during Discovery • Detail your ability to work with geographic (or geospatial) data and information • Detail your ability to do algorithmic based work when delivering a proof-of-concept • Detail your experience of rapidly delivering technology based proof-of-concept work • Demonstrate your experience defining the inputs that structure the delivery of Alpha and the likely costs of doing so Nice to Haves • Detail your experience helping clients to support the move from Discovery to Alpha using business cases • Demonstrate your experience of applying the Technology Code of Practice https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-technology-code-of-practice Work Location The DVSA is working on a ‘hybrid’ model with staff working at a combination of office locations and other suitable locations. Supplier staff may be able to carry out some collaborative work remotely but may also be expected to spend some time working at DVSA locations. These might be business locations and driving test centres. The DVSA key business location for this work is in Nottingham. Any visits to test centres are likely to be in a broadly similar part of the country. Working Arrangments Suppliers will be available Monday to Friday during normal office hours of 9.30am to 5.00pm Security Clearance Minimum requirement of BPSS. DVSA anticipates any proof-of-concept work is completed on supplier systems/devices. Bidders won't have access to live data and/or key front-facing systems. Bidders will be given access to current routes. These must not become public knowledge. Routes generated by the supplier must be shared securely with DVSA. Additional T&Cs Further, detailed information will be provided to shortlisted Suppliers at the relevant stage of the procurement process. Please provide non-DVSA examples when responding to the Essential and Nice-to-Have criteria. This will remove any incumbent advantage. If the response includes a DVSA example then it will be discounted. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • Proposal Criteria - Demonstrate your approach/methodology to successfully delivering the outcomes and achieving value for money, including problem definition, proof-of-concept, moving from Discovery to Alpha, Capability and Structure. • Social Value Criteria - Demonstrate action to support health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce. Cultural Fit Criteria Demonstrate your approach to working with DVSA openly and collaboratively. Payment Approach Fixed price Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 75% Cultural fit 5% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers No questions have been answered yet.