Technology Services Partner Framework

Tender description

Southern Water is going to market for strategic partners to become part of the Technology Service Partner Framework Agreement to deliver IT services, including but not limited to Strategy & Architecture, Software Engineering, Application Support, Maintenance & Operations, Resource Augmentation (inc. Business Process, Infrastructure) and other ancillary services This provision will likely be a two-stage negotiated procedure with prior call for competition to set up a Technology Service Partner Framework Agreement lasting 4 years, with an option to extend for a period of up to 4 years. It is anticipated that the opportunity will be formally published before the end of Q3 2023. The supply of services will be remote or across the entire Southern Water (SW) region. SW’s region covers Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Any estimated quantities or values contained or referred to in this or other tender documents are for guidance only. They do not bind SWS to buy any specific quantities should the bidder be successful and enter into an Agreement. The Goods and Services which the successful bidder(s) will be asked to provide under this agreement is currently split across 8 lots. Bidders will be eligible to apply for one or more of the available lots. The lots are currently as listed below: 1 Digital & Technical Services 2 Corporate System Services 3 Operational Technology Services 4 Enterprise Information Management 5 Data & Analytics 6 Strategy & Architecture 7 Quality & Process Services 8 Infrastructure Please note that SWS reserves the right to update the lot structure and scope at the release of the contract notice for the Technology Services Partner Framework Lot 1: Digital & Technical Services • SWS had an aged digital technology platform. AMP7 has focused on replacing most of the digital platforms with heavy focus on new age technologies. The service portfolio has involved building a new integration platform and rolling it out across the estate. AMP priorities included: 1. Digitise health and safety 2. Enhance environment / waste / wholesale digital capabilities 3. Enhance water digital capabilities 4. Customer digitisation 5. Other business driven spend / digitisation Lot 2: Corporate System Services • AMP7 priorities have included continuous investment in the corporate technologies which include enterprise applications like SAP, Success factors and Workday • Going forward, key activities include but not limited to the following: • Delivery of continuous improvements to existing and future applications used for enterprise-wide support services • Ongoing support for specialist BAU • Analysis, design, development, integration, maintenance, and support of a range of existing and future applications • Implementation services for new ERP solution supporting the Customer Services, FInance and Procurement • AMP8 ERP software selection exercise support Lot 3: Operational Technology Services • SWS being an asset intensive organisation, the focus of AMP7 has been on a full re-implementation and replacement of Asset and GIS systems. This included asset & work management and integration into ERP solutions • AMP7 has been working towards the full restack of OTT applications including standards and capabilities on physical devices and communications. Lot 4: Enterprise Information Management • AMP7 has been working towards upgrading the core platform and replacing redundant systems. This includes SAP BW on S4H implementation and other end to end implementations • GIS had been managed as a separate domain, but will now be merged with EIM. During AMP7 SWS implemented the EDM ( enterprise document management) solution and reminder of AMP7 and 8 would be about rolling out new solutions on the EDM ( sharepoint). Lot 5: Data & Analytics • The focus in AMP7 was on data warehousing / lake, data integration, data analytics and development of business intelligence software and information reporting tools • Going forward, key activities include but not limited to the following: • Services related to statistics, tools, programming, data manipulation, data visualisation, machine learning, deep learning, model deployment, scenario analysis, forecasting / prediction, planning and Azure • Data requirements associated with other lots could be delivered through this route Lot 6: Strategy & Architecture • Tech Strategy across Infrastructure, Applications, Cloud, Security, Integration • Key services to be delivered are strategy, consultancy and advisory services in relation to a. solution architecture, b. enterprise architecture, c. technology & security architecture, d. business & data architecture Lot 7: Quality & Process Services • QA / testing includes: a) test leadership, test execution and test environment management b) Quality demand & release management c) provision of testing services and quality assurance d) resource augmentation, including the delivery of a range of services, including but not limited to test standards & governance, orchestration, automation, resources, software, and a range of other related services. Testing at SWS is currently operating at TMM Level 3 / 4 e) Automation tool implementation and regression testing regime. f) Support system evergreen with test and release governance g) the testing services would be across Technology platforms, Application Portfolio's, Information Management, Process Mgmt, Operational and Engineering tech • Business processes include: a) delivery of business process services b) creating and applying best practice processes c) administrative services for business operations d) Business processes relating but not limited to health & safety tracking and reporting, regulatory reporting, LandSearch and billing operation Lot 8: Infrastructure • Services related to the design, development, integration, operation, implementation, maintenance, and support of a range of infrastructure technologies (networks, servers and storage, cloud, telephony, etc.) • It also includes IT asset management, server and network patching, capacity planning, SecOps and infrastructure engineering • Services delivered will be supporting key infrastrucuture, including routers, firewalls, databases, client systems, security services, network management, servers, switches, cabling, storage, backup technology, network infrastructure, telecoms and connectivity • It will be critical for service providers to support with demand and resource planning. They will need to provide infrastructure resources that understand business domain and business applications that they are providing infrastructure for. SWS is on the journey towards building its capabilities with a focus on cloud operations and SecOps