01816A Emergency Provision of In-Cell Telephony (COVID-19)

Description

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, SPS was required to implement a telephony solution (including the provision of mobile phone handsets and a mobile device management system) to improve current communication arrangements for those in our care to maintain family contact. The COVID-19 outbreak, has had a profound impact on all aspects of the SPS’s daily operations. In particular, a key issue that resulted from the restrictions was the overriding need to continue to retain operational stability in what are unprecedented circumstances. Therefore, a number of decisions were necessarily made to curtail aspects of the prison regime to reflect social distancing measures. This included the temporary cessation of visits, which limited the ability of those in our care to make contact with family and friends. This decision gave rise to an urgent requirement for SPS to increase access for those in our care to make telephone contact with family and friends at a time where they were required to remain in their cells for prolonged periods and, additionally, to introduce a virtual prison visit facility (which was carried out under a separate procurement exercise). The ability to make calls from cells was unavailable to those in our care, as the current phone system is deployed in communal areas, which also enhances the risk of contamination through the use of shared devices. The desired timescales available for implementing this solution were extremely restricted, especially when operational stability was a primary concern. The indicative cost of the solution was expected to be higher than the current EU Threshold but if SPS were to utilise any of the procedures which required competitive tendering, it would be unable to comply with the mandatory time limits due to the extreme events that have taken place which are out with the control of the SPS. Therefore, SPS made the strategic decision to expedite the sourcing and purchase of mobile phone handsets and a mobile device management system for use. A system was identified that could provide the same technical and security related functionality currently utilised for the existing phone system. SPS has engaged with an identified supplier to negotiate acceptable terms and has subsequently contracted for the immediate provision of in-cell communications to all of its operational Establishments. This procurement has been carried out in accordance with the guidance contained under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 regulation 33(1)(c) and 33(3).