NAVY DIGITAL FIXED COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINMENT SERVICE (ND-02500

Description

Summary of the work Programme and Project management across key communications and fixed infrastructure projects to replace systems and services that are being retired or becoming end of life whilst sustaining and maintaining ongoing services. These systems and services support critical operational outputs and must be delivered compliant with H&S policy. Expected Contract Length 24 months with an option to extend by up to 25% in duration, cost or both. Latest start date Tuesday 1 November 2022 Budget Range The 'Core' elements can be delivered within a budget of £1.66M over 24 months, supplying approximately 3100 days of service. This budget includes £25K for travel, this should not be included in the bid cost. This Outcome will have a limit of liability of £3.333M total (including £1.66M for the core element) in order to provide a mechanism to enable efficient delivery of increased service volumes. At award the contract commitment will be £1.66M covering only the 'Core' funded elements, any increase in activity up to the limit of liability of £3.333M will be subject to separate tasking orders. Why the Work is Being Done Navy Command - Navy Digital requires a digital communications and fixed digital infrastructure service to manage the Navy's fixed communications migration from analogue services to IP, this transition must be complete by end 2025, and to provide ongoing technical management and compliance with H&S policy for Naval establishments and ICT equipment installations. Problem to Be Solved The Royal Navy must ensure that its fixed communications infrastructure remains current and viable. The UK Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is being phased out and will be switched off by 2025. This is a major nationwide supplier led programme being run by the BT Group subsidiary company Openreach called BT ALL IP which will impact communications services to all Navy Command sites across the UK. To continued delivery of fixed ICT and communications systems on all Navy sites it is essential that the effect of the PSTN switch off and migration away from analogue services is fully understood, and the impact is mitigated. At Navy sites a large number of analogue services are used for operational systems, emergency fallback, safety across all sites, and alarms, if these are not identified, located and transitioned to an alternative service the Navy will not be able to deliver its key outputs. There is also a requirement to provide ongoing day to day support to communications and ICT services ensuring that these are delivered in accordance with other Navy contracts and commitments are met for H&S compliance where required in the fixed infrastructure environment. Who Are the Users All Naval establishments and Navy Digital capability owners. Provide digital communications and fixed infrastructure support to fixed sites and services for the Royal Navy. Migrate services and aging infrastructure away from analogue and end of life equipment to assist in the digital modernisation of the Navy's communications. Work Already Done This work is currently underway and this Outcome is required to complete the migration and sustainment. Existing Team Navy Digital embraces a "Whole work force" approach and comprises of a mixture of RN/RM Service personnel, MoD Civilian and specialist contractors. This Outcome will be expected to integrate with, support and draw upon members of the Navy Digital team when delivering this service. Current Phase Live Skills & Experience • Ability to understand complex Navy Digital and wider Naval users issues and deliver appropriate solutions to meet their needs. • Demonstrate the ability to prioritise capability requirements, delivery and resources. Understanding the need to deconflict activities while minimising impact to operational outputs. • Demonstrate experience of working with the Navy’s central ICT provider (Defence Digital) to deliver critical infrastructure projects to the Navy. Ensuring Navy sites are fully engaged in the process. • Demonstrate experience in a Naval environment of delivering programmes & projects in communications and fixed infrastructure from OFFICIAL to Secret • Experience in application of MoD standards for ICT, information security, delivery, compliance, safety, communications and Infrastructure. • Evidence of delivery of complex digital programmes and projects to the vision and to time, cost, and quality and across the Defence Lines of Development (DLODs). • Demonstrate experience project managing the requirements capture, design and installation of fixed based ICT infrastructure into Naval sites, delivering infrastructure capability at OFFICIAL to SECRET inc GFX delivery. • Demonstrate an understanding of the nuclear assurance process and the relevant stakeholder community. • Demonstrate an understanding of how to manage the safe delivery of ICT services capabilities into a nuclear authorised site or platform. • Demonstrate experience of project managing electrical compliance testing within a government / MOD environment • Demonstrate a working understanding of BS7671 18th Edition and how this is implemented in an MOD environment • Experience of supporting Communications Services across the Navy ensuring delivery of change and fault resolution with third party contractors • Experience of secure communications services, especially speech in the MOD • Demonstrate an expert understanding of the ECR Process and the Installation Design Authority standards associated with it • Demonstrate previous experience of monitoring, managing and improving ICT services delivered by third party contracts in a Naval Environment • Demonstrate experience of implementing change management, of enabling process change and improving change in an ICT environment within the MOD • Demonstrate technical understanding of IP systems and networking concepts. • Demonstrate experience in the design, build and management of Wi-Fi networks and infrastructure. • Demonstrate experience of system security accreditation, and understanding of security concepts and principles Nice to Haves • Experience delivering project and programme management to recognised standards. • Experience representing RN/Maritime digital capability requirements into MoD Joint and Single Service programme/project boards to ensure enterprise level digital solutions meet RN/Maritime specific environmental and ship/submarine platform requirements. • Demonstrate ability to represent RN/Maritime stakeholder interests at national and international meetings/forums. • Experience of cyber and security risk assurance assessment activities based on HMG policy in line with cabinet office procedures and the Cyber Essentials protocols • Experience of costing infrastructure delivery services, budgeting, and budget planning in relation to the Users requirements • Experience in the use of commercial frameworks for the provision of cloud services, digital outcomes, specialists and technical products and services • Demonstrate the ability to act as the Naval systems network technical specialist, providing infrastructure specialist advice Work Location Based in NCHQ Whale Island, Portsmouth. Remote. Extensive UK travel, all task dependent. Working Arrangments This service will be working in a team with stakeholders from within Navy Command, MoD, and other government departments to enable capability outcomes in support of MoD and HMG national security objectives. The work will predominately be based at NCHQ, however the service deliverables will direct where tasks are carried out, and travel will be required where necessary. Security Clearance MoD approved SC is required at contract start for all personnel assigned to this service. Additional T&Cs 24 months with an option to extend by up to 25% in duration, cost or both. All expenses (T&S) must be pre-agreed between the parties and must comply with the MoD Travel and Subsistence (T&S) Policy. All suppliers are obliged to provide sufficient guarantees to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures so that the processing meets the requirements of GDPR and ensures the protection of the rights of data subjects. For further information please see the Information Commissioner's Office website https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-reform/overview-of-the-gdpr/ No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • Technical Competence (70 marks) broken down into: • a. Stage 1 relative score (10), • b. Approach and Methodology - how the solution meets our needs (15), • c. The demonstratable skills and experience and a sutiable team structure and composition(15), • d. Understanding of the outcome delivery risks, dependencies, assumptions and mitigations against failure (5), • e. The approach to information capture storage, presentation and archiving to enable delivery of outcomes and long-term preservation for use by the authority. (5). • f. Demonstrate how the service will evolve and innovate to ensure optimisation of outcome. (5). • g. How this service represents value for money (5) • h. Ability to respond to change in work force composition during the contract term, including access to the whole range of skills and clearances, in a suitable timeframe. (5) • i. Demonstrate experience delivering relevant services previously. (5) • (written proposal - 2000 words max, Work History - 500 words max per history, presentation) • Cost. (Overall price) (20 marks) (Financial proposal must be separate to the written proposals) • Cultural Fit/Social Values (10 marks) (100 words max per criterion) Cultural Fit Criteria • Cultural fit/Social Values is broken down as below and will be assessed on the quality of the statements provided with the proposal. • (max 100 words description for each criteria). • Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers and have a no-blame culture that encourages people to learn from their mistakes. (2%) • Take responsibility for their work. (2%) • Share knowledge and experience with other team members. (2%) • Can work with customers with low technical expertise. (2%) • Consider equality & inclusion in the provision & operation of services, including a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve, where relevant and proportionate (2%) • Cultural fit / Social values accounts for 10% of the overall score. Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Work history Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 70% Cultural fit 10% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. How will T&S be charged and payments made throughout the contract? The contract value will include up to £25K of T&S to be invoiced as actuals in line with MoD T&S ratesThe £25K for T&S is not to be included within the bid tender.Foreign travel will require Authority approval before these costs are met. T&S throughout the contract will be limited to a maximum liability of £25K.The service delivery will be receipted and invoiced in arrears via CP&F and EXOSTAR using the method of Capped time and materials. 2. Will this be assessed as inside IR35? It is not expected that IR35 will apply. An assessment will be made after the winning supplier has been selected. 3. Is there a Cyber Risk Assessment? The Cyber Risk Level is very low. Suppliers that are down selected will be required to complete a SAQ. 4. Is there an incumbent supplier in the role? Yes, there is an incumbent delivering this requirement at this time. 5. Yes, there is an incumbent delivering this requirement at this time. Yes, we would accept a candidate with a DV. 6. Will there be any performance indicators within the contract If Performance indicators are required, these will be advised as part of the Phase 2 Statement of Requirement. 7. How will initial tender submissions be evaluated ( part 1) Each tenderer will be evaluated and allocated 0 (Not Met), 1 (Partially Met), 2 (Met) or 3 (Exceeded) against their responses to each of the essential and nice to have criteria. The points awarded for each criteria will be added together to give the total technical evaluation points. 8. How will initial tender submissions be evaluated (part 2) The Authority reserves the right to consider tenderers non-compliant if their points are below 2 on any criteria. Tenderers may also be considered non-compliant if their proposed start date is after the required start date, if their bid is above the stated budget or fail to meet submission deadlines. Non-compliant tenderers will be excluded from the competition and their total technical evaluation points will be 0. 9. How will initial tender submissions be evaluated (part 3) Tenderers with the three highest total technical evaluation points from this evaluation will be down selected and invited to take part in stage two. 10. How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection The submitted proposals and work histories will form the basis of the Technical and Cultural Fit evidence for selection during the final tender and will be scored using the following weighting: Technical competence 70%. Cultural fit 10%. Price 20%. 11. (Technical Part 1)How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection " The Technical Competence aspects of the proposal will be scored out of 70 marks. These marks will be broken down as follows: a. Stage 1 relative score (10), b. Approach and Methodology - how the solution meets our needs (15), c. The demonstratable skills and experience and a sutiable team structure and composition(15), d. Understanding of the outcome delivery risks, dependencies, assumptions and mitigations against failure (5), e. The approach to information capture storage, presentation and archiving to enable delivery of outcomes and long-term preservation for use by the authority. (5). 12. (Technical Part 2)How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection f. Demonstrate how the service will evolve and innovate to ensure optimisation of outcome. (5). g. How this service represents value for money (5) h. Ability to respond to surge or change in work force composition during the term of the contract, including access to the whole range of skills and clearances, in a suitable timeframe. (5) i. Demonstrate experience delivering relevant services previously. (5) 13. (Technical Part 3) How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection The points awarded will be added together to give the total technical evaluation points. There is a total of 70 marks for Technical Competence. The total Technical Competence points will be divided by the maximum available Technical Competence points and multiplied by the Technical Competence criteria weighting. A tenderer that score 35 marks out of 70 will therefore have an overall Technical Competence score of 35%. (35/70 = 0.5 x 70 = 35%) 14. (Cultural Part 1)How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection CulturalTenderers will provide a cultural fit statement to show how they will meet each of the cultural fit criteria. Each tenderer will be allocated 0 (Not Met), 1 (Partially Met), 2 (Met) or 3 (Exceeded) against their responses to each of the cultural criteria. 15. (Cultural Part 2 ) How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection CulturalThe points awarded for each criteria will be added together to form the total cultural evaluation points. The total cultural points will be divided by the maximum available cultural points and multiplied by the cultural criteria weighting. This will give the cultural score.(For example, if tender has 20 points, the maximum points available was 25 and the cultural weighting is 10, the cultural score will be 8 ( 20/25 = 0.8 x 10 = 8) 16. (Financial)How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection FinancialFor Outcomes, the total cost provided at initial tender submission will be the pricing figure and evaluation will be based on this. The £25K budget allocated for travel will not be included within the total cost for evaluation purposes. The bid cost should be submitted in a seperate document and not mentioned within the Technical and Cultural fit proposal. 17. (Compliance)How will final tender submissions be evaluated after initial down selection "The Authority reserves the right to consider tenderers non-compliant if they score below 2 on any criteria. Tenderers may also be considered non-compliant if their proposed start date is after the required start date, if their total cost is above the stated budget or fail to meet submission deadlines. Non-compliant tenderers will be excluded from the competition and their total evaluation score will be 0.Only tenders which are compliant will be scored. The tenderer that receives the highest combined technical, cultural and financial scores will be the winning tenderer." 18. Is home working possible? Homeworking is possible but not as an exclusive option because of the need for site visits, meetings etc 19. Is there an imcumbant? The service is currently being provided by a newly formed team which is an amalgamation of services provided by VIMA and Carbon 60. 20. Regarding essential criteria “Demonstrate an expert understanding of the ECR Process and the Installation Design Authority standards associated with it”. Please clarify what the acronym ECR stands for The Engineering Change Request (ECR) process is the standard process followed to document, get approval for ICT Change and final sign off of the installation by the Site Coordinating Installation Design Authority (SCIDA) the MoD ECR process has 5 stages and equates to similar ECR processes in industry.