Re-launching Project METAFOR

Report: 12
Date: 3 May 2007
By: Director of Information on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines the reasons why project METAFOR has been re-launched and describes the approach which aims to secure a successful deployment of the product required by the MPS to realise full business benefits by the Directorate of Forensic Services, Commercial Services, Specialist Operations, Territorial Policing, Central Operations, Operational Evidential Services and Specialist Crime Directorate.

A. Recommendations

Members are invited to:

1. Authorise project METAFOR to enter a procurement phase.

B. Supporting information

Overview

1. METAFOR is a cross-functional solution delivering functionality across the MPS supporting business imperatives within Directorate of Forensic Services, Commercial Services, Specialist Operations, Territorial Policing, Central Operations, Operational Evidential Services and Specialist Crime Directorate. METAFOR will develop and implement a Forensic Case Management System and Property Management System that will gather, manage and track information on crime scene examinations, central and local property stores, forensic exhibits, submissions, forensic statements and intelligence. METAFOR will support the work of forensic staff at the scene of crime through data capture via mobile devices. It will also support investigative processes.

Background

2. The original request for an IT solution to meet the business requirement was received in 2003. The MPS invested a great deal of time in understanding the business requirement prior to entering into a commercial arrangement with a supplier. The arrangement was terminated by mutual agreement. The output from the original investment remains valid, in terms of both the understanding gained around business processes to be supported by the technology and the learning from the engagement with the previous supplier. Together this represents a significant platform from which to launch a refreshed programme of work.

3. The original briefing to the Director of Information is included as exempt Appendix 2 to this report.

Case for re-launching METAFOR

4. The existing forensic and central and local property stores systems are experiencing a number of problems, which constrain efficient and effective management of forensic cases and associated property. For example, the MPS deal with in excess of 120,000 forensic cases per year resulting in storage of more than 100,000 exhibits. Forensic data is currently captured on paper-based forms whereby information is then re-keyed into the relevant business systems. This results in poor data quality and a delay in electronic data capture and submission as forensic staff are required to travel from crime scene to MPS office to enter data onto various systems or query existing cases.

5. The MPS store and manage in excess of one million individual units of property over two core central property sites (Charlton and Mandela Way) and various local property locations. As with forensic services, data regarding property (including exhibits) is entered into a number of different business systems, an activity that is repeated when transferring items between sites.

Revised approach

6. METAFOR will adopt a risk-averse implementation approach. The original business requirements have been re-validated and tested against products currently available from the four suppliers short-listed in the original tender exercise. These comprised two ‘niche’ suppliers and the MPS’ two existing Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) providers.

7. A formal product evaluation has demonstrated that the ERP providers’ Commercial off the shelf (COTS) products are a best fit for the Metafor functionality.

8. In the last eight years the MPS has procured two best-of-breed ERP systems. One to support financial processes (SAP) and one to support human resources processes (Oracle). In theory, either SAP or Oracle could support the whole of the MPS ‘support’ business processes. An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system strategy paper was submitted to Management Board for approval in September 2006. The strategy proposes that, where appropriate, new technology requirements should exploit the MPS’ SAP or Oracle investment. Ultimately, the MPS should consider an approach to consolidate onto a single ERP platform.

9. We are not, however, in a position to make this decision now. Therefore, a competition is proposed to decide which of the two ERP options will deliver the best value solution taking into account corporate and local business and technology strategies.

10. This will allow the MPS to exploit the investment already made in the back-office arena by driving down total cost of ownership and represents a low-risk approach building upon existing relationships and known technologies.

METAFOR Business Benefits

11. Key benefits of METAFOR include:

• reduction in future payments to third party suppliers;
• reduction in future warehouse investment and more efficient use of existing accommodation;
• Improved efficiency and more effective forensic and property management services including the ability to significantly reduce re-keying;
• improvement in job satisfaction;
• enhanced perception of MPS

12. All METAFOR benefits drive towards an increase in sanction detections and improved value for money.

Abbreviations

COTIS

Commercial Off The Shelf

ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning

IT

Information Technology

METAFOR

MET Application for FORensic Case Management

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

SAP

Systems Applications and Products

C. Race and equality impact

This report does not have any impact on race or equality.

D. Financial implications

1. The total cost of the recommended solution over a ten-year period is £14.4 million. For comparison, before termination, the total cost of the original METAFOR solution was £16.1 million.

2. The expenditure for 2007/2008 will be £4.52m comprising of £3.52m capital and £1m revenue.

3. Through METAFOR, MPS will be able to avoid future Forensic and Commercial Services costs of £26 million over a ten-year period. Cost avoidance will be realised through two core benefit initiatives, namely:

• a reduction in future payments to third party forensic suppliers (e.g. Forensic Science Service) through improved financial and performance information. This will result in future forensic analysis cost avoidance of £21.6 million capital over ten years.
• a reduction in future property accommodation investment through more efficient management and disposal of existing property. This will result in future property cost avoidance of £4.4 million capital over ten years.

E. Background papers

• METAFOR Business Case v 2.1

F. Contact details

Report author: John Redmond, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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