RM1043.8-1-British Transport Police Authority Intranet Replacement

Tender description

About adding context and requirements test Pre-market engagement We have spoken to various mobile-first and/or app intranet vendors previously and have viewed demonstrations of several products. Work done so far We have already completed one tender process which was ultimately unsuccessful due to updated specification needs. We have looked at similar organisations’ intranet solutions and internal communication best practice, and through this have ascertained what the best way forward will be to meet the requirements of our organisation. Which phase the project is in Discovery Existing team Project Managers (Internal Communications and Technology) Senior Channels Manager Head of Internal Communications Head of Application Services or nominated appropriate technology colleague Address where the work will be done Remotely with on-site working, if necessary, in London. Working arrangements The team will primarily work via Microsoft Teams. If it is felt face to face engagement would produce better results, this will likely take place in London, although as we are a national force, we would be open to considering other locations if essential. Reasonable expenses for on-site working (if required) will be reviewed and agreed by BTP prior to any on-site working commencing. Provide more information about your security requirements: Developed Vetting (DV) Provide more information about your security requirements (optional): Developed Vetting (DV) clearance must be held prior to the contract award date - evidence of validity is required Security Clearance will be required at level NPPV 2 Full. If this is not already in place, this may delay the process. Latest start date 2023-08-21 Enter the expected contract length: 2 years Extension period: 6 months Special terms and conditions DOS 6 Framework Call-Off Terms No element of the work undertaken will be sub-contracted out to a third-party unless this is clearly stated and agreed within the proposal provided or subsequently agreed with BTP. Special terms and conditions Contract start date August 2023 – with expectation of launch early Q4 2023 Special terms and conditions Payment Terms 1. Sign off for the agreed design and build timeline - Payment 1 (40% of cost excluding license fees) 2. Implementation and go live – Payment 2 (50%) 3. Retention payment on satisfactory completion of the entirety of the project – Payment Four (10%) 4. Licencing payments – paid a year in advance of the go live - Payment Five (full licensing) Special terms and conditions Stage 1 - Pass/Fail questions. The pass/fail questions included within the essential skills and experience are to ensure suppliers can support these options. A ‘fail’ score received for any of the listed criteria marked as Pass/Fail, will result in exclusion from the competition. Special terms and conditions For Stage 1, withstanding the company name and contact detail on the submission, suppliers are to remove any references to the company name or employee references within their responses to the set criteria questions. This will provide anonymity for evaluation purposes. Special terms and conditions Please note that both Stage 1 and 2 scored criteria will require a minimum score of 2. A score of 1 or 0 will result in exclusion from the competition. Special terms and conditions Within the attached documents is a questionnaire provided by our Information Security team.  This questionnaire will not be scored but must be completed in full before any contract award. Completing it at Stage 2 will significantly speed up the contract start date. Are you prepared to show your budget details?: No Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply Summary of work British Transport Replacement Intranet - The Design, Delivery, implementation, hosting and licencing of the current outdated and unsupported intranet for British Transport Police. We are looking for a solution that must be mobile-first and provide best practice that has user experience at its heart, requires minimal training to use, and is intuitive to use for employees on the go. Where the supplied staff will work London Where the supplied staff will work No specific location (for example they can work remotely) Why the work is being done British Transport Police’s current employee intranet no longer meets the needs of the organisation and doesn’t have the basic functionality our people need nor is it in line with our device and digital strategy. It has been built up over many years and lacks clarity of purpose; content is difficult to find and, importantly, our frontline colleagues cannot access it from their mobile devices (the only personal device issued to officers). This makes it hard for our (circa) 5,200 employees to perform necessary tasks; receive and access information they need to do their jobs in a timely (and often time critical) manner. To further build two-way communication, seamless mobile accessibility, and a reliable trusted source of information for all British Transport Police colleagues, we require a single place that unifies multiple communications channels. In the age of ‘scrolling’, attention spans have decreased - users expect two-way communication and interactivity as standard. With this in mind, we need to change our approach and have an intranet that our people can access wherever they are, at any time, as a frontline blue light organisation that is ‘always on’. The business problem you need to solve The full functionality of our current intranet is only accessible on desktop, with a rudimentary front page available via mobile devices as of March 2022. Our officers are given personal issue mobile devices, but have to share laptop PCs in stations, which means that information cannot be readily and easily accessed by around 3000 BTP colleagues. An external channels audit found that our employees find the current intranet frustrating to use, search functionality poor, out of date, and not inclusive or tailored to their needs and interests. As a result, the average readership of an Intranet story is 766 views, out of an organisation of 5,200+ people. The current intranet software we use, SharePoint Server 2010, is no longer supported or updated by Microsoft, which leaves us with significant security risks. BTP requires a product which can be used to target specific audiences in ways relevant to them (geographic, employee type, leadership level etc.) rather than having a blanket reach to all employees, where messages become diluted and at times irrelevant for large portions of the Force. The intranet is also cumbersome for the Internal Communications team to manage – no content can be proactively scheduled for day/weeks to come; the volume of workarounds/patches over time has meant that ‘local editors’ cannot amend content, creating a bottleneck of requests for changes; and analytics, where enabled, in SharePoint 2010 are limited to very high level information such as page views. First user type: As a frontline employee First user type: As an end user (desktop/laptop user primarily) First user type: As an editor First user type: As Internal Communications Enter more details about this user type: I need a mobile accessible intranet with user experience at its heart so that I can view news, briefings, policies, and important updates for my role on the move when I need it. I want news that is relevant to me to take priority based on my geography, rank/grade and employee type. I require the intranet to access other key operational platforms and to be a place that connects communications channels across the organisation. I need to be able to receive push notifications for essential ‘must read’ content. Enter more details about this user type: I need to be able to access the intranet through Single Sign On. I need a product that is intuitive where I can get the information I need with minimal effort. I need to be able to alter the news and frontpage to ensure that see the information that’s most relevant to me, my team, department, geography, employee type or leadership level. I need to be able to find information including policies and procedures easily so that I can concentrate on my job rather than spending time searching for documents. Search should be able to immediately find the most pertinent information and present this as a recommended source of information. I must be able to trust that the information is correct and up-to-date. I need to be able to use the intranet in the same way I use my off-duty devices so that I can engage with the content more intuitively. I want to be able to react and comment on the intranet. Enter more details about this user type: I need to be able to delete and change pages that I have the relevant permissions for, without having to go through the Internal Communications team to facilitate. I need to be able to do this during my work periods, when Internal Communications may not be around to support. I also need reminding to review my content on a regular (at least annual basis) and be able to access a ‘log’ of all changes made to certain pages. Enter more details about this user type: I need to be able to proactively upload and schedule content for a minimum of a fortnight in advance. I need to be notified when content needs reviewing and any pages that need updating. I need to be able to analyse and confidently report intranet usage including engagement with ‘must read’ content, video watches and click through rates (more detail in technical specification). I need to be able to upload a story in a seamless way, that takes no more than10 minutes. I need to be able to modify the homepage format without support when required. I need to be able to link content from/to different channels to the intranet. Questions and Clarifications 1. We have been trying to progress the required NPPV 2 Full vetting, but understand that, according to the Police National Vetting Service, only "registrations from organisations that have a contract to provide a service to the police community." are currently being accepted. Are you willing to sponsor our vetting application should our bid be successful, and accommodate the associated lead times into the schedule? We will provide vetting for the winning supplier if it is not already held, yes, but it will slow the process down. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:35 2. Hi, In the previous version of this is tender request, the Cyber Essentials Plus was not mandatory if ISO27001 accreditation is held - is this still the same? i.e. it is not mandatory if ISO27001 accreditation is in place. Thanks Yes, this is the same. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:31 3. please could you confirm who in the supplier team is required to be security cleared? Will the entire team be required to undergo DV/ NPPV 2 Full clearance? We would request anyone working on our system is vetted to NPPV 2 abbreviated - this is altered from the original requirements following a review since publication. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:27 4. please could you confirm who in the supplier team is required to be security cleared? Will the entire team be required to undergo DV/ NPPV 2 Full clearance? We would request anyone working on our system is vetted to NPPV 2 abbreviated - this is altered from the original requirements following a review since publication. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:27 5. Could you please clarify if we may use offshore (India/Eastern Europe) in any phase of the project? e.g Design/Build/Deploy/Test/Run... What is the highest level of data classification you will have on the Portal? It looks very much like you want a SAAS solution but many organisations are now utilising Microsoft Teams as a single pain of glass for users. Are you sure that you want an independent SAAS Portal and Application? SAAS is not one of the essential criteria and has not been requested. As we would be unable to vet anyone outside of the UK and are unable to share data overseas, we would not be able to use any offshore resources. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:26 6. Please can you clarify if the following question is with regards to the proposed solution or the supplier organisation as a whole - "Confirmation Welsh will be a language option - Confirm Yes or No (Pass/Fail scoring) 4= P, 0= F" Thank you, This will be for the solution. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:25 7. In the "Essential Skills and Experience" section, Question 8 seeks information about previous experience working with the Government Service standard. However, off-the-shelf products created by commercial organizations are not necessarily designed to comply with this standard as they tend to have a universal approach that caters to a broad range of services, rather than being tailored to meet the requirements of specific government services. In light of this, we respectfully request that you consider the fairness of this question. Alternatively, would you accept experience in delivering products and services using an agile methodology as a suitable substitute? We would welcome your guidance in this matter. If you have not worked within the Government Service Standard previously, being able to demonstrate a recognition of what this entails and how this might affect the project will be scored favourably. We understand your concern in the fairness but this is a small part of the score and will not be a pass or fail on whether a supplier will be considered, but will be a small percentage of the final score. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:25 8. In the "Nice to have skills and experience" section, Question 1 requests evidence of having passed a digital service assessment conducted by a government, local government, or NHS authority. The question suggests that a service assessment is necessary for an offering to be considered. While it may be possible for custom-built or bespoke intranets to undergo such an assessment if they are aligned with a specific service, standalone products cannot currently obtain sponsorship for this purpose. Therefore, we kindly request that you assess the fairness of this question, as it could potentially exclude products that are suitable for your requirements. This question has been added under "Nice to Have" rather than "Essential" so it will not rule out anyone. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:24 9. Pls can you clarify - are you requiring or ambivalent to the new intranet being built in Sharepoint? If ambivalent, do you have a set of technologies you have been reviewing? We are looking for an intranet that fully integrates with Sharepoint but we are open to exploring other technologies as it is not clear how Sharepoint will provide the mobile led and branded experience we are expecting of a new platform. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:23 10. With regard to the 3rd essential criterion: "The supplier must be able to confirm they have ongoing and up-to-date Pen testing information on their solution" - please could you confirm if you are looking for an off-the-shelf solution? As opposed to custom solutions built with open-source CMS, etc. We are looking for a solution which is customisable but that has been implemented before. We are not looking for something to be built from the ground up. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:22 11. Good Afternoon, You reference a expected launch date of Q4 2023. Please can you confirm the dates for this and any initial requirements that need to be available at this time? We are expecting that we will be able to roll a new intranet out to the Force by the end of March 2024 at the latest. We would expect the product to be ready to launch in its entirety at this time. Last Updated: 9 May 2023, 13:21 12. Would you be able to provide an indicative budget? The maximum available budget for the length of the contract will be £324,000 including VAT Last Updated: 28 April 2023, 11:27 13. A letterheaded document with a table for responding to the Essential and Nice-to-have criteria only, would be acceptable? Responses should be provided using bid pack Attachment 3 - Responses to Essential and Nice-to-have skills and experience. Tables aligned to questions are included in the attachment. Last Updated: 27 April 2023, 08:54 14. The 750-word character limit (where applicable), is inclusive of spaces? This is correct, as per the response guidance in bid pack Attachment 3 - Responses to Essential and Nice-to-have skills and experience. Last Updated: 27 April 2023, 08:53 15. 1. All that is required at this stage in the process is a response to the Essential and Nice-to-have criteria. This is correct, as per the guidance in bid pack Attachment 3 - Responses to Essential and Nice-to-have skills and experience, which states 'If you wish to participate in this procurement you must respond to the Essential and Nice-to-have criteria' Last Updated: 27 April 2023, 08:52 16. Do you require Cyber Essentials Plus or will Cyber Essentials suffice? If Cyber Essentials Plus is a must have requirement, would you accept it being implemented by launch or require it pre contract? We would like ISO27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus as a requirement to tender, not post tender. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:12 17. Do you require Cyber Essentials Plus or will Cyber Essentials suffice? If Cyber Essentials Plus is a must have requirement, would you accept it being implemented by launch or require it pre contract? We would like ISO27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus as a requirement to tender, not post tender. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:12 18. Is the Welsh translation to be done manually by editors/publishers or are you looking for an automatic solution? E.g Browser translation We are looking for an automatic solution. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:09 19. Expected project duration is 2 years, 0 months, 0 days / 0 years, 6 months, 0 days - which one is correct? Or are these separate phases to the project? These are separate phases. The 6 months is for the build and launch with 2 years for licensing. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:08 20. Has any user research/stakeholder engagement been conducted to support building the requirements for the intranet, and/or would you want the supplier to conduct this phase of work as part of the project? We have already completed all research and stakeholder engagement so we would not expect or need the supplier to conduct this work. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:07 21. Has a content audit/review been conducted against the content on the existing intranet, with a plan devised to improve this with stakeholders before you move to the new solution? Or is this something you would like the chosen supplier to lead on? This is something we are working on internally but any support or good practice from a supplier would be gratefully received. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:04 22. Has a content audit/review been conducted against the content on the existing intranet, with a plan devised to improve this with stakeholders before you move to the new solution? Or is this something you would like the chosen supplier to lead on? This is something we are working on internally but any support or good practice from a supplier would be gratefully received. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:03 23. Do you host your staff information on Azure Active Directory? Some information is stored on Azure Active Directory but our main HR system is Origin. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 14:02 24. Can we add images and link as part of our responses? If so, will links count as part of the character count. Please can you confirm if you are looking for customer examples or supplier/solution examples for the following question - Please provide examples of how pro-active planning has been done using the platform on a 12 -month period. Please can you clarify what assessments the following question is referring to - Provide evidence of having passed a government, local government or NHS digital service assessment. Do you want this automated to a user's preferred language through their profile, or, for a user to be able to manually click to show a page in Welsh when required? Unfortunately no we cannot receive links or images. We would ideally be looking for customer examples. Details on the service assessments are available on the Gov.uk website. Either solution regarding the Welsh language would be acceptable, however, the preference would be that it can be chosen to change when required. Last Updated: 11 May 2023, 13:55