Information systems outsource contract review 2001-02

Report: 21a
Date: 20 November 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the services provided by SchlumbergerSema in the third year of the contract for outsourced Information Systems services, running from 01 November 2001 to 31 October 2002. The report gives details of the performance against service levels for the main services. It also highlights a number of improvements that have been made, and looks ahead to initiatives that SchlumbergerSema will be undertaking in the future.

A. Recommendation

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

Performance

1. SchlumbergerSema consistently met the contractual targets for supporting and delivering IS services for the first nine months of the reporting period. However in August 2002, the performance levels slid dramatically. The MPS negotiated a rise in the service level targets for restoring service from 77% to 90%. This increase was seen as an interim step toward higher final targets to come into effect when the new AWARE infrastructure was fully implemented.

2. The availability of services was severely affected by various problems, ranging from hardware and software faults through to environmental failures such as power disruption and air conditioning faults. Some of these were outside the responsibility of SchlumbergerSema. Over the period of this report, 140 major incidents were declared when there had been widespread impact amongst the user base. Additional concerns arose over the ability of the AWARE infrastructure to continue to deliver a service in the face of component failure and these are still being actively addressed.

Key changes during the period

3. In terms of new services, SchlumbergerSema has been predominantly engaged in implementing the new AWARE infrastructure. Whilst this has had notable benefits, it has not been without difficulties and it has had an impact upon the delivery of the existing services.

4. In addition to the implementation of the MPS-wide AWARE Infrastructure, SchlumbergerSema has also been engaged in the development of the following significant projects:

• transfer of Command and Control infrastructure from X25 to IP
• involvement in the CLARITY project
• developing the replacement MPS Intranet (Nexus)
• developing access interfaces as part of the NMIS project
• developing the Persistent Young Offenders (PYO) application

Future outlook

5. Looking forward, the MPS has identified several significant areas of focus:

• improve the level of services so that the contracted final targets are achieved and to work to improve still further.
• achieve an improved resolution of problems at the time of notification.
• improve availability of service by bolstering resilience levels and reducing the re-occurrence of problems by improved network and capacity management.
• business continuity strategy to be agreed with MPS.
• improved procedure for delivering projects into the live service.
• proactive capacity monitoring and planning

6. The MPS will work with SchlumbergerSema over the coming year to improve and expand the level of services to acceptable levels and to ensure that the contractual relationship continues to meet current and future operational needs.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. There are no equality or diversity implications arising from this report.

D. Financial implications

The financial implications are contained in the linked Exempt Appendix.

E. Background papers

This report was based on information from Provision of IS Services to the MPS, Annual Report 2001/2002.

F. Contact details

Report author: Michael Jackson, Service Delivery Group, DoI, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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