MPS information strategy - MetDuties (phase 2) award of contract

Report: 10
Date: 18 December 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

The MetDuties (Phase 2) project is key to the on-going provision of the MetCall service and the wider need to improve the management of resources within the MPS. Following an OJEU procurement a Phase 2 supplier has been selected.

The overall cost of the project is within budgetary estimates and, in line with the Authority’s standing orders, the Committee’s approval is now being sought for the award of contract to the Phase 2 supplier.

A. Recommendation

That the Committee approve the recommendation for the award of contract as outlined in the linked exempt report.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The MetDuties Project will provide a duties management solution for the Metropolitan Police Service in two phases. Phase 1 will satisfy the immediate, tactical requirement to supply C3i with the availability of deployable resource information in time for the 2004 launch. Phase 2 will build on the foundation of Phase 1 to supply a more strategically focussed and comprehensive resource management solution by 2005/6. This report relates only to Phase 2.

Progress

2. The vision of the MetDuties project is to provide information essential to the delivery of the C3i service, particularly the response management component. The vision also incorporates the longer-term benefits of providing a technology solution that will remove the existing burden of manual entry surrounding the current time management systems. This solution, through enabling Activity Based Costing (ABC), will also underpin much more effective resource management in direct support of the Operational Policing Measure (OPM).

3. Following the Committee’s approval, the Phase 2 OJEC Contract Note was placed in December 2002. Tenders were received and the evaluation undertaken between March – August 2003. The selection procedure comprised a series of documented stages, culminating with site visits and presentations.

4. The Evaluation Panel subsequently selected a preferred supplier for the Phase 2 solution. The selected supplier emerged as the clear winner technically, functionally, and commercially.

Benefits and the need to proceed

5. Approximately seventy five percent of the MPA budget (some £2billion) is attributable to staff costs. This IT solution is aimed at providing the tools, which will assist significantly in the effective management of that resource. This requires information about the way MPS staff are deployed and how changes to shift and deployment patterns result in improved performance.

6. A full benefits plan has been established and will be the basis for ensuring the project delivers tangible benefit to the MPS.

7. MetDuties 2 benefits analysis has been undertaken in the context of the five key goals of the MPS:

• Developing safer communities
• Securing the capital against terrorism
• Revitalising the criminal justice system
• Developing a professional and effective workforce
• Reforming the delivery of policing services

8. MetDuties 2 contributes to all the MPS Goals and for Goals 1 & 2 specifically by focusing on:

• Support for increased visibility of MPS workforce, by giving C3i access to real time information on workforce availability for response purposes
• Support for more effective deployment of MPS workforce
• Development of a common policing model for workforce availability and deployment, by providing support for more effectively coordinated and appropriate response (Goal 1 only).

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. All IS/IT solutions provided through the MPS Information Strategy pay particular attention to the needs of special groups. In this particular procurement the contractor’s approach to equality and diversity was explicitly tested during the tender process. The contractor’s staff will be governed by the same rules and guidelines as permanent employees with respect to behavior and the needs of special groups.

2. The user requirements of MetDuties (Phase 2) have taken account of equality and diversity and this will continue during the development process. The staff of DoI work closely with the Occupational Health Directorate of the MPS to ensure the needs of any individual can be accommodated.

3. In addition the C3i/Airwave Change Management Team will be working in collaboration with the appropriate representatives and associations to ensure the staff associations are fully involved in the development of the MetDuties Phase 2 project.

D. Financial implications

The financial implications of the award appear in the Exempt Appendix to this report.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: George Corral, Information Strategy Programme Director, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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