The Livestock Unique Identification Service (LUIS)

Description

Summary of the work Development of a new application using agile methodologies to manage the issuing of Animal Identifiers across England and Wales. The application will be built using Microsoft technologies, JSON and deployed in Azure. Experience of system integration using robust and well documented APIs is essential. Expected Contract Length 9 Months for phase 1 (Alpha) with the option to extend for phase 2 (Beta) Latest start date Monday 28 January 2019 Budget Range Phase 1 budget between 30k - 50k Phase 2 budget between 20k-40k Why the Work is Being Done To support the UK's world-leading food and farming industry, Defra is replacing its livestock traceability systems by the end of 2019. As a pre requisite, it needs to replace the current animal identification systems, which are used by animal identification Manufacturers to order new animal identifiers. The challenge is to specify, design, test and bring into service, using agile delivery, a MVP in line with GDS service standards to meet the deadline of 31 March 2019.This will include Bovine Electronic Identification (BeID) Problem to Be Solved Defra cannot issue new BeID animal identifiers. Who Are the Users As the Competent Authority, we need to be able to issue unique BeID tags by July 2019 so that we comply with EU legislation. As the Competent Authority, I need to have a robust immutable record of all animal identifiers As an Animal Identification Manufacturer I need to be able to order animal identifiers Early Market Engagement NA Work Already Done We have undertaken user research with a cross section of users. This work has identified problems and short comings with the existing services and systems. We have begun building wireframes and testing these with internal users. We have a clear understanding of our needs and how to shape the new service. Existing Team The current in house team is very small. The supplier will be working with and reporting to the Solution Architect. It is expected that the supplier will work is a fast, agile manner. The supplier must be flexible, innovative and have the ability to adapt quickly, making speedy changes to design based on user feedback. The team will work with a blame free culture, iterate very quickly based on verbal feedback and make bug fixes immediately. The supplier will also work with Defra's system integration teams, who will facilitate integration to legacy systems. Current Phase Alpha Skills & Experience • Have experience of working within the public sector and with third party suppliers for a common goal • Be able to design and implement user interfaces and portals which must include features like authentication, user management and metadata management • Have robust system documentation • Have knowledge of DevOPs, MVC, Core2, JSon, Github, API integration, CCS and localisation, error reporting and error handling Nice to Haves Provide evidence of knowledge of Livestock Identification Work Location AHDB Stoneleigh, Kenilworth CV8 2TL. However travel to Defra offices including Workington will be required. Working Arrangments The supplier is expected to engage on a daily basis with the SA and team to; demonstrate new development, discuss current and future work, uncover any blockers. Attendance on Defra sites for 1) User workshops to understand user requirements and how the system can be adapted accordingly 2) Technical design meetings, as required,to facilitate system integration and ensure adherence to Defra technical standards . Expenses are limited to actual receipts. Additional T&Cs 1. Where any aspect of the Services is to be carried out at a premises belonging to a third party, the Supplier shall ensure that the Supplier Staff shall comply with all instructions, policies and directions of such third party. 2. The Supplier acknowledges that: a. The Buyer is procuring services on behalf of itself (the "Service Recipients"); and b. Subject to the Clause 33, Losses suffered by a Service Recipient that are caused by a Default of the Supplier shall be deemed to be Losses that have been suffered by, and which are recoverable by, the service recipient. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • Significant experience of the entire Application Lifecycle Management Process • Demonstrable experience using Visual Studio .Net framework standards and technologies including C#, SQL Server, javascript, JSON, MVC, Web Services, web forms and REST API development • Demonstrable experience of working in public sector delivering software projects. • Experience building easy-to-use web-based applications • Experience using user research findings to iterate project work and software development. • Proven experience delivering projects using agile project management methodologies. • Experience of rapidly developing and iterating prototypes based on user testing, findings from discovery and policy context, including assisted digital. • xperience of developing digital services considering the needs of industry stakeholders • Experience working with multiple data sources to analyse how they relate to each other, and how to get maximum service value from them. • Experience of working with prototyping • Experience of business rules to validate data Cultural Fit Criteria • Provide cooperation support information and assistance in a proactive, transparent and open way and in a spirit of trust and mutual confidence. • Fix first discuss later • Cooperative behaviour and cost efficiency should be promoted • Innovative use of technology to implement cost efficiency • Working in partnership with other suppliers • Communicating complex issues using clear and concise language in both written and verbal ways to a variety of audiences and expertise levels. • Knowledge of the livestock industry • Knowledge of the EU animal identification • Knowledge of the Asset management software including integration with handheld devices and flexible unique number generation. • Knowledge and understanding of securely handling sensitive data • Understanding of both legal and data protection issues in using personal data Payment Approach Fixed price Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 40% Cultural fit 20% Price 40% Questions from Suppliers 1. We note that your preferred solution utilises Microsoft technologies. Would you be willing to accept a similar outcome based on the use of open source software? No. LUIS will be a business critical system and are current support resource is Microsoft focused. Implementing other technologies would have an overhead. 2. Will you be working within the "one thing per page" gov.uk guidelines or will the application follow a more widespread web app format. It would be useful if you could share the wireframes that you have built in order for us to have a sense of the anticipated style. We want to strike a balance between simplicity and users being able to achieve their task quickly. Users will need to repeat and switch between tasks quickly. This means it’s not appropriate to apply a one thing per page approach on all pages. We will share the wireframes with the shortlisted suppliers if this still required. 3. Will the buyer consider allowing the majority of the work to be completed off-site at the suppliers offices with engagement via web conferences and occasional get together for design workshops? The project will be delivered by a small Agile team. To deliver the project successfully, we require the team to work very closely. While development work can be delivered remotely, they need to be an integral part of the team is essential. The frequency of on site attendance will be at our discretion. 4. Please confirm the expected budgets. £30-50k for 9 months for even a single consultant seems very low. Yes this is the expected budget 5. The budget stated is truly low for the skill set you have asked for. Are you open to using offsite staff with occasional visits onsite supplier staff paired with some supplier staff joining through virtual tools? Please refer to previous answers.The project will be delivered by a small Agile team. To deliver the project successfully, we require the team to work very closely. While development work can be delivered remotely, they need to be an integral part of the team is essential. The frequency of on site attendance will be at our discretion. This is the expected budget 6. Please can you clarify what the current animal identification systems in use are and who the manufacturers are? The current systems are an aged bespoke development and supported by Defra suppliers. Full details will be disclosed to the successful bidder. 7. What is DEFRA's experience with Agile working? Defra and this project team have experience in using agile and it is its methodology of choice for several years. 8. On an average day rate of £900 a day for one person, your budget would allow for them to work on this project for 6 days per month in order achieve your desired outcomes. Is this your expectation or is there more budget available for this project that's not defined in this tender? The maximum time allocated is 9 months however the programme team consider that the work is likely to be achieved in 3-4 months (based on previous wireframe and development activities). The budget is as set and no further budget can be made available. The timescale is a precaution should any delays occur. 9. Can you please share any reports or working documents on the outcomes of your work conducted so far in user research, wireframes, identifying problems and shortcomings of existing systems and services, and internal needs? We want to strike a balance between simplicity and users being able to achieve their task quickly. Users will need to repeat and switch between tasks quickly. This means it’s not appropriate to apply a one thing per page approach on all pages. We will share the wireframes with the shortlisted suppliers if this still required. Documentation will be shared the successful bidder. 10. What are DEFRA’s legacy systems that we will need to integrate with and how does this project need to integrate with those systems? The legacy systems will be discussed with the successful bidder. The plan is to use the existing system integration methods to the legacy systems. Once the new Livestock traceability system is procured, we will review the integration and move to REST APIs . 11. You’ve highlighted that we’d work with the Solution Architect and that your team is small. Can you please clarify what roles and skills are available internally who you expect to be involved in this project? The internal resources have the necessary skills. These include project management, subject matter experts, business design, operations and existing system users. Other resources will be made available to the project as and when required. 12. Is this a capped T&M project or fixed price? Is DEFRA expecting to get all elements of their requirement for this price, or is there an expectation some stories might not be achievable in the cost? The first delivery (Phase 1) is fixed price as the requirements are very clear, replacing existing functionality. All user stories for this will be delivered. The second stage (Phase 2) is T&M as the work is less certain. Please note this opportunity is with AHDB, not DEFRA 13. Is the contract value indicative of DEFRAs desire to pay under minimum wage for a team of staff? Or perhaps outsource the work to parts of the world with a lower salary requirement. Like India? And let the prime contractor take full risk? AHDB are awarding this contract, not DEFRA. The budget has been established based on project discovery work already completed and extrapolated to the full delivery based on prevailing market rates 14. Is the supplier expected to provide a team of people for 5 days a week on T&M for the duration, or is there an expectation that the project is fixed price? The first stage is fixed price and can be delivered with a resource model designed by the supplier 15. Is there an expectation that every single standup in a 5 day working week, there will be some new development to report? Agile ceremonies will be observed, the frequency will be established with the successful supplier and appropriate to the approach agreed 16. Is DEFRA expecting the project will genuinely take 9 months full-time? No, the expectation is that phase 1 can be delivered in 3-4 months 17. Please can you clarify what the current animal identification systems in use are and who the manufacturers are? The current systems are aged bespoke developmentsand supported by Defra suppliers. Full details will be disclosed to the successful bidder. 18. Re the experience/skill "Have knowledge of DevOPs, MVC, Core2, JSon, Github, API integration, CCS and localisation, error reporting and error handling" please can you confirm if CCS refers to Coded Character Set? If not, please could you clarify Sorry for any confusion, it should have said CSS Cascading Style Sheets. More information can be found here https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/service-standard/make-the-user-experience-consistent-with-govuk 19. Is there an incumbent supplier? If so, please could you say who they are. There is no incumbent supplier. 20. Please could you clarify the proposed schedule? The requirement states that a BeID MVP is required by 31/03/2019. This suggests that the duration of Alpha should be 3 months, rather than 9. Is that correct? The expectation is that phase 1 can be delivered in 3-4 months, however we have included additional months in case this over runs. 21. Is there an expectation that this would form a register in its own right of cattle in England and Wales? No 22. Is this tender a disguised employment requirement? For this, do you actually need just one person? There are 3 main epics. The tender is open to all registered suppliers and is primarily an outcome based requirement. We anticipate that it would require a minimum of 2 people to deliver within our timescales 23. Within the listing, you have stated that the application will be built on Microsoft technologies. Could you please clarify what specific Microsoft tools/programs/products you have identified for this project and how you determined that these were a good fit for this project? The Microsoft technologies within scope are identified within the basic requirements. The selection has been made in accordance with the programme technology roadmap, skill availability and market research 24. How familiar is your team at working in an agile manner? The team has experience delivering in agile and is very familiar with its methodology. 25. Please clarify what you mean by ''demonstratable experience of working in the public sector, delivering software projects'' Do you only want ex-public sector service workers? Or will you accept workers who have worked with the public sector? We would like to know if you do have experience in the public sector, in either capcity 26. How was the user research and wireframe work undertaken? Was this conducted by AHDB staff or a third party provider? If it was with a third party supplier please can you disclose who this was? The work was conducted in house 27. Please can you provide details of the next steps following this initial application? i.e deadlines for the written proposal, if there will be an interview and when? This process is a mini competition via the digital marketplace. Following the closing date for this opportunity, the evaluation team will shortlist the suppliers based on the responses provided. AHDB will then send the full brief to the top 3 suppliers and invite them to complete a formal submission. 28. You specify that ''The challenge is to specify, design, test and bring into service, using agile delivery, a MVP in line with GDS service standards to meet the deadline of 31st March 2019'' but also state ''9 months for phase 1 Alpha'' What are the actual timelines for this project? Is it 3-4 months or 9 months? This will help indicate what work is possible within the maximum budget you have stated The expectation is that phase 1 can be delivered in 3-4 months, however we have included additional months in case this over runs. 29. Will the shortlisted suppliers be invited to a supplier meeting before the creation of the final proposals? And will suppliers have a chance to present before a final decision is made? The expectation is that a selection will be possible without the need for a presentation. However if two or more suppliers are very closely match we may invite suppliers to make a presentation