Technology Services for DBS Next Generation Estate

Description

Summary The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is preparing a series of technology services procurements to support its next generation digital estate. This Early Market Engagement notice is being issued to ensure transparency and equal access to information ahead of formal engagement. Background DBS is currently finalising its service requirements and delivery model to enable the transition from legacy contract arrangements to a modern, flexible, and collaborative approach. We intend to undertake market engagement in the near future. We will be looking for suppliers to work with us as part of the DBS team rather than as an arms length outsourced provider. This may include a combination of hybrid/blended teams where supplier personnel work alongside DBS personnel (rainbow teams) and delivery through statements of work where the supplier would deliver specific outcomes with their own team. Please see further information below Lot 1: Scope of Future Procurements We anticipate three distinct procurements for the following service areas: 1. Estate-Wide Services Likely to include application management services (AMS) for our integration platform (currently MuleSoft), broader system integration responsibilities across the technology estate, and AMS for any other estate-wide applications. This team may also be responsible for other services across the full DBS technology estate, including provision of a primary DBS service desk function integrated with both the Home Office (HO) services desk and other service teams. The team may also provide service integration services to support the DBS SIAM team. 2. Application Management Service 1 (AMS 1) AMS for our CRM/Case Management platform and all associated services. 3. Application Management Service 2 (AMS 2) AMS for operational applications such as entity resolution/matching, document/evidence management, redaction, and similar services. (This does not include general business applications such as the Microsoft suite, which is managed via the HO.) Supplier Participation & Independence To ensure independence between roles with potential for conflicts of interest: • A supplier cannot be awarded contracts for both estate wide services and any of the AMS services. In this context, AMS services would likely also include any contracts for provision of software (including entity resolution/matching, document management, media management and redaction), as the estate wide services supplier will have both system and service integration responsibilities. • A supplier may bid for and be awarded both AMS 1 and AMS 2 contracts, though these would be let as separate procurements/contracts. Additional information: Next Steps We expect to launch formal market engagement in the near future to understand market capability and inform any potential future tender and specification. Opportunities arising from this programme may be procured through one or more government framework agreements. In such cases, only suppliers appointed to the relevant frameworks will be eligible to bid directly, and engagement will be managed via the Authority's e-procurement system, Jaggaer. Where procurement routes outside of existing frameworks are used, notices will be published in line with the Procurement Act 2023 requirements, including publication on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. Suppliers not currently on relevant frameworks are encouraged to engage with framework suppliers where appropriate to explore potential partnering or subcontracting opportunities.