Managed contracts for the evidential analysis of electronic devices

Report: 11
Date: 17 February 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

Electronic devices are being seized in increasing numbers in the course of criminal investigations by police officers and require evidential analysis to extract evidence that can both advance the investigation and be presented in court. The continual growth in demand for the analysis of electronic devices and systems exceeds the capacity of the existing in-house and external service. Additional resources, provided through a Managed Contract, are required in order to support this service. A managed call off contract will also help ensure best value for money is obtained for this service. This is part of a modernisation programme of the Directorate of Information (DoI) Evidential Analysis Laboratories (EAL) to ensure the service provided is affordable and delivered to an agreed timescale.

The MPS needs contracts let by February 2005 to allow suppliers to prepare resources to enable services to be called off as required. Contracts will commence on 1 April and will be for a period of three years with an option to extend for a further period of up to 24 months.

A. Recommendation

That members approve the award of contract, on a call off basis, to Berkley Business, CCL, Control Risk, FSS, FTS, IBAS, Kalagate, LGC and Qinetiq for a three-year period with a possible two year extension.

B. Supporting information

1. The increasing demands for electronic evidential analysis services have, in some areas, outstripped the in-house resources of the DoI Evidential Analysis Laboratories (EAL). This has prompted the identification and use of suitable external evidential analysis service suppliers to provide additional capacity to meet the increased demand for EAL services.

2. The additional capacity provided by outsourcing to evidential analysis service suppliers is used for lower level volume work. EAL manage suppliers by monitoring quality assessment, and product delivery, to ensure value for money.

3. Management of the existing suppliers has identified variations in quality of service, security, facilities, processes and costs, and demonstrated the need to establish standards for these suppliers. As part of the modernisation programme, EAL has taken the lead in the field of Hi-Tech or digital analysis with the production of standards and processes, and the accreditation of evidential analysis practitioners and practices. These standards and processes will be applied within the MPS Hi-Tech/Evidential Analysis community, and used to raise and maintain the standards of the external evidential analysis resources used by the MPS.

4. A large number of suppliers were identified as part of the managed contract and subsequently inspected. The inspections looked at the businesses as a whole, the facilities, investment history, staff, training, documented procedures, quality control and quoted costs. Those suppliers found suitable are listed in Recommendation A1, above.

5. The modernisation programme has implemented systems for the collection and breakdown of performance data, which allows for accurate tracking of exhibits, resources and delivery times. A target turn round time of 28 days has been established for standard evidential analysis work, whether undertaken in-house or by contractors. The MPS now needs to let contracts in order to provide an improved and better value service to Senior Investigating Officers for criminal investigations.

6. As indicated earlier, the suppliers to whom it is proposed to award the contract have been selected after a rigorous evaluation of their professional skills and ability to deliver the required level of service.

7. There is now a need to let contracts by February 2005 to allow suppliers to prepare for their services to be called off as required, from the start of the contract. Contracts will commence on 1 April 2005, and will be for a period of three years with an option to extend for a further period of up to 24 months.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no issues specific to this report. Compliance with the meaning and scope of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equal Pay Act 1970 and any Act of Parliament or other legal provisions relating to discrimination in employment, has been accepted in full by the proposed contractors.

D. Financial implications

The financial implications are set out in the exempt Appendix 1 to this report.

E. Legal implications

There are no specific legal implications arising from this proposal. Relevant contract or other documentation will contain all the usual commercial terms and provisions. All reported matters are considered to be within the powers of the Authority.

F. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

Report author: Keith Smith, Head of Operations, Evidential and Security Technical Support

For more information contact:

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

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