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Report 4 of the 11 March 2005 meeting of the Co-ordination and Policing Committee, and provides a summary of progress on the C3i/Airwave Programme. The Programme is on track for continued Borough migration during 2006.

Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).

See the MOPC website for further information.

C3I/Airwave update report

Report: 4
Date: 11 March 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides a summary of progress on the C3i/Airwave Programme. The Programme is on track for continued Borough migration during 2006.

A. Recommendations

  1. That the Committee note the report.

B. Supporting information

Programme delivery

1. Lewisham Borough transition into Metcall took place on 7.December 2004 as planned. A new Programme Governance structure has been introduced and the roles and responsibilities are currently being confirmed. The collation of lessons learned from the Programme, Metcall and Territorial Policing (TP) and the relevant implementation into business processes is underway.

2. The operational readiness assessment for the Go-Live’ for Hendon indicated that there was a high level of risk of moving Barnet and Brent into the Metcall environment. Metcall is currently working on an interim business model with significant workarounds resulting in individual workloads being high. It was felt that this, coupled with a shortfall in the number and skill set of staff expected from Boroughs would compromise the management and support infrastructure of Metcall if operation was extended into Hendon. Therefore the Programme recommended to Strategy Group that the transition into Hendon Metcall was deferred and this was accepted 21 January 2005.

3. Metcall has made a good start from the operational perspective with business benefits already being identified within boroughs and in the public facing service being offered. However call volume and average call handling time was above that expected for the business model. Since the migration there have been improvements in call duration of non-999 calls. Staff abstraction for CCB has impacted significantly on transition focus, and both command and operational resilience as management and staff are committed to nearly 800 working days in responding to urgent public enquiries.

4. PA Consulting are currently undertaking a full volumetric and human factors review in order to provide Metcall with a period of review, validation, re-enforcement and consolidation. This is required to ensure that Metcall has the right business model and level of resourcing to continue to deliver success. This period will include the upgrade in technology (Contact Handling System) and associated processes in Lambeth Metcall in April/May before migration to Hendon in May/June. To address the resourcing issues experienced in Metcall the incentive payment scheme is expected to commence in March with operation staff on Lambeth receiving payment in March and all subsequent staff receiving payment at the point of transfer.

5. The Integrated Communication Platform (ICP) was to be a key component in the technical delivery of C3i implementation. The contract was terminated in November 2004 following the failure of the supplier NTL to deliver either: the system, an alternative solution or a plan for late delivery that would be acceptable to MPS. After careful consideration of potential delivery solutions to meet business requirements within acceptable operational risk boundaries, the decision was made that the ICP concept is the correct technical solution.

6. The MPA has approved the extension of the contract with the C3i System Integrator, Lockheed Martin.

7. On termination of the contract, a payment was made by NTL to MPS amounting to £18.9m, this being the net amount of a repayment of £20.1m and unrecoverable payments of £1.2m. An agreement was made between the MPA Treasurer and C3i Programme Director that the settlement money is considered as revenue income, which will be ring-fenced exclusively for C3i/Airwave implementation.

8. Following an accelerated procurement exercise a letter of intent has been issued to a preferred supplier for an Integrated Command and Control System (ICCS). Until a contract is in place with this supplier, expected to be authorised 11 March at this COP, the exact timing and financial costs cannot be finalised for this report. It is thought that increased costs will be contained within existing budgets and the additional funds made available through contract settlement. The impact of long-term revenue costs will be known on the signing of a contract which will include the maintenance and support costs. The procurement path for the ICCS solution was approved by the MPA Finance Committee.

Strategy Group

9. The C3i Strategy Group 21 January concentrated upon reporting of the Metcall Live operation and the deferral of Barnet and Brent transition into Hendon. It also discussed the progress of the procurement of the ICCS solution, which will ensure Metcall Operations successfully transfer to Airwave service. The Strategy Group dated 24 February focused on what the programme will deliver this calendar year and on how the delivery of ICCS was going to impact the overall transition rollout.

Planning

10. A transition plan to support the Airwave migration awaits the delivery timeframes of the ICCS delivery. However, work is in place to build a transition plan based on forecast ICCS delivery dates. The Initial Planning for the incremental introduction of Telephone Operating Centres (TOCS) into the Metcall environment in Q2 2005 is being confirmed. Confirmation of the planning dates to upgrade the Contact Handling System (CHS) has been provided.

Key achievements

11. Key achievements during this month include:

  • Migration of Lewisham Borough into Metcall Lambeth.
  • Lessons learned output from Southwark MIPD produced and supplied to Transition Team.
  • Airwave Implementation launch meetings with SO departments.
  • Skills audit developed for Communications Officers transferring to Metcall.
  • Initial C3i implementation meetings held with Sutton & Kensington & Chelsea.
  • Endorsement of Airwave training by PITO.
  • Agreement that the Airwave CBT to be delivered by NCALT.
  • SCD 5 trained in Airwave.
  • Two articles in The Job – Lewisham Go Live and Airwave into RPC and TOCU.
  • External booklet delivered and distribution plan produced.
  • Completed delivery of Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) to the MPS.
  • Skills Audit of Metcall and remaining Tranche 1 Boroughs completed.
  • Sir John Stevens Centre officially named by the outgoing Commissioner.
  • Barnet IBO is signed off and ready to transfer to Metcall.

Key milestones

12. Key milestones scheduled in the near term include:

  • Confirmation of staff requirements for Metcall service.
  • Confirmation of ICCS supplier and delivery date to enable development and communication of the Integrated Transition Plan
  • Corporate Risk Management meeting planned for mid January
  • Programme Lessons Learned review
  • Reviews and planning for the further DCC10 (4-3) functions (Alarms, Central Casualty Bureau (CCB), Contact Office, Information Room Management Office, Pan-London, Police Advice Line, Police Information Centre, Quality of Service Position (QSP), Telephone Operator Centres)
  • Preparation for Tranche 2 Borough migration
  • Radio Dispatcher Terminal training to be planned with IR/SCD

Major Issue

13. The major issue is the confirmation of the delivery schedule for CHS migration and delivery options for ICCS and the associated transition plan. Any action necessary and risk mitigation for these issues are being managed within the programme.

C. Race and equality impact

The full Health and Safety assessment was conducted for Hendon and subsequent action plan is being completed. A complete anti-terrorist search has been undertaken at Hendon by POLSA, the Police Search Advisor. Metcall has now received and accepted the formal recommendations of the POLSA and Health and Safety assessment for Lambeth.

D. Financial implications

1. The total forecast expenditure for the C3i Programme comprising C3i, Airwave, Met Duties Phase 1 remains within the approved budgets of £200m capital and £57m revenue. These sums are being funded by a combination of Home Office capital and revenue grants and MPS approved and allocated capital and revenue funding. Funding concerns outside of programme scope are constantly monitored and reported to Strategy Group; there are currently no major concerns

2. Until a contract is in place for the supply of an Integrated Command and Control System solution, the exact timing or financial implication cannot be finalised. It is thought that increased costs will be contained within existing budgets and the additional funds made available through contract settlement. At this stage there is no intention to apply for additional funding.

E. Background papers

  • None

F. Contact details

Report author: C3i Programme Director

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1: Summary of the progress reported to the Home Office February

  • Programme name: C3i Programme
  • SRO: Ailsa Beaton
  • Programme status:
    • Current period: Amber/Green
    • Last period: Amber/Green
  • Programme director: Michael Aston
  • Reporting period: February 2005
Category Explanatory notes Last Now
Programme and Risk Management Service Delivery was prepared to transition Barnet into Metcall Hendon. However, the Operational Readiness Assessment identified a number of significant issues that led to the recommendation to defer transition. Following the C3i Strategy Group decision to accept the recommendation, action was taken to ensure that all transition preparations were also deferred..’ Detailed planning is being conducted throughout this week to resolve the issues and to introduce CHS upgrade into Lambeth, followed by Hendon and Bow.
 
The MPA approved the procurement approach recommended by the programme for the ICCS (replacement for the ICP) and formal procurement action is now being initiated.		 A A
Financial The full financial impact of the delays incurred by the termination of the ICP contract and deferment of the planned transitions are still being evaluated. The full effects will not be known until the procurement action is complete and the ICCS supplier is selected. This section remains AMBER. A A
Progress and Delivery Significant effort has been expended in the re-planning of the introduction of the Contact Handling System (CHS) integrated solution. The option to introduce CHS at Lambeth before further Borough transitions into Hendon and Bow has been selected. It will then be rolled out to other Metcall centres before the start of transition to tranche 2.
 
The ICCS procurement process is being conducted against extremely aggressive timescales, and to date is on plan, with the evaluation of the tenderers submissions planned to be held during week commencing 7th March. The evaluation team will be chaired by an Independent chairman		 A A
Requirements / outputs The completed delivery of Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) to the MPS is an important milestone for the programme. It has been possible to track the business benefits associated with this equipment and to put a monetary value on them. 2004 saw a productivity / opportunity saving of £2.5 million. The equivalent of employing 60 more Communications Officers. G G
Baseline Status Uncertainty over the timing of ICCS delivery remains and will impact the Transition Plan. A new issue of the plan will be made when the ICCS delivery is confirmed. Until then, this category remains at AMBER. A A
Business Case Requirements A further update of the recently signed off Interim business case will be needed to show the effects of the ICCS on both the delivery and financial aspects of the programme. G A
Staffing / resources Final Approval for the extension to the contract with Lockheed Martin was received from the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA).
 
The ability to satisfy the Transition Support Team numbers and the provision of resources from Boroughs for C3i training requirements in the necessary timescales remains a critical element of the programme schedule. This is being actively managed by Metcall HR with the support and commitment from Territorial Policing.		 G G
Policy The anticipated flood of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which came into force at the start of January, did not materialise and the time spent by programme staff involved in FOIA has remained manageable. G G

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