Status of the C3i project

Report: 17
Date: 18 April 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

The C3i Project is nearing the point when it will need to start to place its four major contracts – one for Systems Integration (SI) services and one for each of the three C3i Centre builds. The Project has received tenders for the provision of SI services and evaluation is well in hand. There are two suitable tenderers in the final evaluation phase and detailed contract negotiations will shortly take place with the preferred supplier. Contract award is scheduled for 17 May, subject to MPA approval. OGC Gateway 3 Review (Investment Decision) for this Contract is to take place over 15 – 18 April. The other major C3i Contracts will also be subject to OGC Gateway 3 Review, the first being Hendon at the end of May. The contract award for Hendon is scheduled for 29 May, subject to MPA approval. An End of Stage report for the Design Stage was produced and reviewed by the Programme Board and Steering Group. An update of the spend profile of the Business Case is to be issued by 7 May and will detail changed costs and benefits in the light of more closely estimated prices for the SI and buildings contracts. 

Note: This report has been prepared on the assumption that funding for the C3I project will be granted by the Home Office. Details of the notification of the funding will be made at the meeting.

A. Recommendations

1. That the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee notes the status and progress of the C3i Project
2. That the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee endorses the steps taken for the award of the Contract for Systems Integration services.
3. That the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee recognises that the C3i Project financial report will be issued after the receipt of Home Office spend approval.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The C3i Project is a major change programme for the MPS that requires a new build of a complex and mission critical Command and Control (C&C) service. It is anticipated that C3i will:

• focus police officers on core police business;
• help the MPS to provide a better customer service;
• improve performance in responding to 999 calls and other requests from the public for help and assistance;
• ensure the safe, efficient and effective deployment of police;
• improve the information and knowledge base of the MPS and its officers;
• provide more efficient command and control;
• create enhanced business continuity;
• deliver higher levels of resilience to deal with emergency situations.

2. With the inception of the new C3i service, command, control, communications and information (C3i) the activities currently undertaken by the MPS's Central Communications OCU at NSY, Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs) and specialist units will be brought together in three new centres. This presents the most efficient use of resources, and the most effective transmission of information between the public and/or operational officers, specialist units and other agencies. In addition, C3i seeks to avoid unnecessary duplication of the flow of information between the caller and the operational unit. To achieve these aims the Command and Control structure and business processes will change. One of the aims of the C3i vision is to maximise the effective use of police time and resources to:

• ensure that police deployments are appropriate and effectively prioritised;
• release police resources to concentrate on policing by the provision of an effective advisory service;
• provide appropriate management information and progress against performance; and
• provide a flexible environment which is responsive to surges in demands and operational needs.

3. C3i will fully support the MPS agenda for action, 'New Challenges, New Thinking'. In particular, the service will:

• Be performance led;
• Operate to clear standards and achieve best value from resources; and
• Make the best use of technology.

4. The full MPA approved the three centre option for the MPS-led C3i Project at the May 2001 meeting, and in September that year approved the Outline Business Case and the Procurement Strategy. £10 million capital funding was provided by the Finance, Planning and Best Value (FPBV) Committee meeting on 20 March 2001 to allow the C3i Project to move forward.

5. Strategic management of the C3i Project is vested in a C3i/Airwave Programme Board (chaired by the Director of Information) that reports to a Steering Group chaired by the Deputy Commissioner. The MPA is represented on the Steering Group by four members, including the Clerk and the Treasurer.

Current situation

6. The draft definition of C3i Service Delivery and its impact on operational policing (the Business Blueprint) was issued at the end of March. This will be used for an intensive period of consultation and involvement with wider stakeholder groups, leading to the issue of an agreed definition at the end of May.

7. Work on planning for the transition to C3i has included understanding the impact of the conversion to Airwave, and the consequent migration of deployment support in to the new C3i centres, which needs to be achieved by 31 December 2004. An initial transition plan will be issued for consultation by the end of May.

8. A report on the end of the Design Stage of the C3i Project was issued, and accepted by the Steering Group. The next stage is Procurement and the placing of the major support and construction contracts are the significant early events. The OGC Gateway 3 Review (Investment Decision) is scheduled for 15-18 April.

Contracts

9. To enable the implementation, the C3i Project is intending to place four major contracts, and a number of smaller contracts for consultancy support and sundry technologies. The four major contracts are those for Systems Integration (SI) services and one each for the three C3i centres. The placing of all of these contracts depends upon the allocation of funds by the Home Office.

10. The selection of the SI contractor is nearly complete. Competitive tendering through a pre-qualification questionnaire, an invitation to tender and formal presentations is being undertaken to provide the C3i Project with a clearly preferred contractor with whom detailed negotiations can take place. It is expected that negotiations will be completed and all evaluation documentation consolidated by the end of April. Approval will then be then sought from the MPA at the CUC meeting on 7 May 2002 for the placement of the SI contract.

11. The construction of the Hendon C3i centre will be the first of the major building contracts to be placed. Preliminary works have commenced and the selected contractor for the build has been identified. Final price negotiations are in hand and the recommendation to award the contract together with supporting documentation is to be submitted to the FPBV Committee meeting on 29 May 2002.

12. The letting of these two contracts represent a huge step forward in the project and a move from the paper-based deliverables to the construction of buildings, systems and facilities that can be recognised by C3i's intended customers, users and managers. A full risk review of all aspects of the C3i Project was carried out in March and the Risk Assessment and Management process has been improved. The OGC Gateway 3 Review will inspect this process and subsequent actions, together with the diligence and probity of the contractor selection methods for both the SI and Hendon contracts.

13. The negotiations for both SI and Hendon contracts will provide cost projections that will allow the update of the Outline Business Case. After discussion with Partnerships UK, advisors to HM Treasury, it is intended that revised spend projections for the C3i Project (2001 – 2005) and the C3i Service life (2001 – 2017) will be prepared. The updated forecast spend profile of the Business Case will be provided to the MPA in early May with an addendum, which will define and remove those uncertainties and assumptions that have been addressed by the placing of the contracts.

Unisys CAD

14. In general, the stability of contracted support to those legacy systems that are to be integrated within C3i is essential to maintain acceptable risk levels during implementation and early operations. In January, the FPBV Committee approved procurement action for the provision of enhancements to the Unisys Command and Control system by means of a variation to the existing outsource contract. This will facilitate the full implementation of command and control functionality for the C3i service in the MPS. The extension of the existing contract with Unisys is necessary to reduce the risk that would be associated with changing everything at once. C3i will consider its need for greater functionality and facilities once the C3i Project is complete.

C. Financial implications

To be updated and detailed upon the notification of funding approval by the Home Office.

The C3I Business Case details the costs for:

• the Project life of 2001/2 – 2005/6
• the Service life of 2006 – 2017/18

The capital gap for the delivery of the C3i Project faced by MPS is £147.5m which assumes:

• MPS will not be in a position to make revenue contributions to offset against capital required before 2005/6
• £14.5m is the available capital funding - £10m capital agreed by MPA and £4.5m for current agreed revenue project costs

Costs will be refined as the prices from contracts are finalised and contractors provide formal quotations. Current estimates are within the totals detailed in the Outline Business Case.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

Report author: Sean Coughlan.

For information contact:

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

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