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Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)

Data Sharing across HMG Review (Ref:101896)

18 Incomplete applications

13 SME, 5 large

8 Completed applications

5 SME, 3 large

• Published: Friday 6 March 2020
• Deadline for asking questions: Friday 13 March 2020 at 11:59pm GMT
• Closing date for applications: Friday 20 March 2020 at 11:59pm GMT

Overview

• Summary of the work: The project aims to identify barriers to public sector data sharing and ensure better use of data for improved delivery of public services. The study should deliver recommendations on how to maximise the benefits of data held by government bodies. This should include recommendations around systems, structures, practices and methodology.
• Latest start date: Wednesday 1 April 2020
• Expected contract length: 6 weeks, with the possibility of a contract extension
• Location: No specific location, for example they can work remotely
• Organisation the work is for: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
• Budget range: £60,000 for the initial contract. The contract maybe extended to include the additional elements outlined in Why the work is being done.

About the work

• Why the work is being done: Supporting the government's ambition for improving and increasing use of data across government - the government wants radical, transformative change for the use of data across government. We need a consultant team to assist DCMS between now and May 2020 by summarising:; - the organisational, technical, legal and cultural barriers ; - best practice in government systems, structures, methodology and collaboration across government; - technical capabilities and capacity and across government professions; - current legal and ethical frameworks; ; The contract may be extended further into 2020 to develop options and recommendation around:; - the merits of a mandatory approach across government; - how useful data emerges after sweeping away legacy technology
• Problem to be solved: Government is soon to enter a comprehensive spending review, where this information will aid government funding of policy and operations projects that are data-enabled. To to this, we need to scope the current state:; - social, economic, and environmental factors; - legal changes ; - government finances ; - service users ; ; The contract may be extended further into 2020 to scope in options and recommendations:; - the scale of the challenge and the art of the possible for political decisions ; - the investment needed ; - how to scale up new approaches to include the wider public sector
• Who the users are and what they need to do: As a policymaker I need:; - To take a whole-of-government approach to developing and delivering policy and public services, and measure the effect of government interventions / decision, using all available tools, including data held outside individual departments, ; - As a service user (resident, business…) I need:; to know that the government and I can access just enough data held about me and my peers to maximise quality of life, business, and/or place; - As an analyst I need:; to have access to data at the right level to help policymakers make recommendation and monitor effect.
• Any work that’s already been done: The team designed and implemented the Digital Economy Act 2017. This includes new legal gateways for information sharing across government and public sector. We’ve received extensive assessment of the government’s use of data from the National Audit Office in June 2019.; The team has been developing a cross-government fund for data projects with GDS and ONS in preparation for fiscal events; the upcoming Budget and the comprehensive spending review. ; ; The National Data Strategy called for evidence in June 2019 including on views on an objective to achieve alignment in government around data, with data shared and used cooperatively wherever appropriate.
• Existing team: Suppliers will collaborate with the DCMS Public Sector Policy Team and the National Data Strategy Team in the Data Policy Directorate. Our current team has policymaking and programme management capability. We also have strategy and ethics specialists, business analysts, economists, and legal advice available to bring to the project. The team will also engage across government and in particular with ONS and GDS.
• Current phase: Live

Work setup

• Address where the work will take place: DCMS, 100 Parliament Street, Westminster, London; SW1A 2BQ. Supplier can work remotely but should be available to meet regularly with DCMS .
• Working arrangements: The team should include: strategists to scope and design options, economists to measure impact, data scientists or technical specialists to understand practical application and evaluate usefulness, and legal and ethics experts to test feasibility. Some project management is desirable. ; ; The supplier team will need to:; - identify and assess the significant of existing barriers - legal,cultural and practical; ; In further contract extensions, they could be asked to:; - demonstrate the interventions needed by government to address them, the costs, benefits and risks of doing so. ; - develop investment cases in support of preferred options selected by the client
• Security clearance: Counter Terrorism Check/BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard)

Additional information

• Additional terms and conditions: Standard contract terms - DCMS may also seek to include specific clauses addressing intellectual property rights and confidentiality.

Skills and experience

Buyers will use the essential and nice-to-have skills and experience to help them evaluate suppliers’ technical competence.

• Essential skills and experience:
  • Demonstrable experience of developing whole-of-government strategies, especially for better use of data across government
  • Demonstrable experience of measuring economic impact and balance of costs and benefits of government investments in technology
  • Demonstrable experience of writing business cases for government departments to invest as a result of policy development
  • Demonstrable experience giving legal advice or legislative recommendations to government around data sharing agreements
  • Demonstrable experience of giving advice on ethical use of data across government
  • Demonstrable experience of giving advice on opportunities and challenges regarding data protection in the context of technological advancements and emerging technology
  • Demonstrable experience of showing flexibility in meeting client demands including providing individual/ teams at short notice.
  • Demonstrable experience that your organisation promotes a collaborative culture and you can demonstrate where you have successfully worked as part of a multi supplier team.
  • Demonstrable experience of working in partnerships with organisations to understand capability and capacity needs and ensure the right skills are delivered and effectively embedded.
  • Demonstrable experience of identifying and assessing the significance of existing barriers around data sharing
  • Demonstrable experience of effective knowledge transfer relevant to work undertaken
  • Experience of demonstrating interventions needed by government to address barriers, along with the the costs, benefits and risks of doing so
  • Demonstrable experience of the UK's data protection regime and legislative framework
  • Experience of developing investment cases in support of preferred options selected by the client
• Nice-to-have skills and experience:
  • Experience of delivery management
  • Technical experience of working with government data sets
  • Experience of working with multiple stakeholders

How suppliers will be evaluated

All suppliers will be asked to provide a written proposal.

• How many suppliers to evaluate: 5
• Proposal criteria:
  • Proposed approach and methodology to conducting the work within a government context including working within the constraints of existing organisational services and technologies.
  • Understanding of user needs and how the proposed approach or solution meets user needs.
  • Experience working with secure data in government environments.
  • Experience working with government stakeholders and with other suppliers on similar projects.
  • Team structure and experience.
  • Identification of key barriers and dependencies and approach to overcoming those barriers.
  • Ability to respond quickly and effectively to rapidly evolving technical and other demands in a fluctuating environment.
  • Case study from a similar project providing strategic advice to government.
  • Estimated time frames for the work.
  • Demonstration of Knowledge Management and how processes and procedures would be documented, and skills transferred to other staff/Civil Servants.
  • Evidence of ability to provide high quality professionals.
  • Value for money.
• Cultural fit criteria:
  • Work as a team within our organisation and with other suppliers.
  • Be open, honest and transparent in line with the Civil Service Code, taking a collaborative approach.
  • Have a committed, proactive and ethical approach to work.
  • Be flexible in adapting to meet changing priorities and business requirements.
  • Demonstrating approach to knowledge transfer and civil service staff development throughout the duration of the project.
  • Flexible working arrangements and knowledge sharing.
  • Examples of previous experience of working with UK Government and with a range of different stakeholders.
  • Have a no-blame culture and encourage people to learn from their mistakes.
• Payment approach: Fixed price
• Additional assessment methods: Presentation
• Evaluation weighting:

  Technical competence

  50%

  Cultural fit

  15%

  Price

  35%

Questions asked by suppliers

• 1. You make reference to current phase being live, is it correct to assume that you have an incumbent supplier doing the work already.: There is no incumbent supplier. The work done to date has been undertaken by Civil Servants.
• 2. In order to submit the bid application, will the supplier need to submit both answers to the questions and proposal? Or does the proposal need to be submitted only at the second phase?: Interested suppliers will say if they can meet our essential and nice-to-have skills and experience requirements; provide evidence for the skills and experience they have; and give the dates they can start work. The following criteria will be used to shortlist interested suppliers: when the supplier can start work; nice-to-have skills and experience; proof of skills and experience. A written proposal will only be required from shortlisted suppliers.
• 3. Regarding security clearance, is this required for the entire team? Would you sponsor this?: Security clearances are not required by the whole team. This requirement was added for practical purposes to ensure that suppliers representatives can access government buildings for work and meetings, and not have to be escorted. DCMS would not be in a position to sponsor a security clearance.
• 4. We note from the publication on digital marketplace, that the deadline for applications for this opportunity, is Friday 20th March. Can I confirm that the published start date of Wednesday 1st April is correct, given the need to submit a written proposal and deliver a presentation prior to this start date?: The dates provided were correct at the time of posting and we appreciate this is an aggressive timeframe as this is a high priority activity. In light of the latest COVID-19 advice, DCMS will adapt a more flexible approach on the assessment and evaluation process, including on timelines. The deadline for EOIs remain Friday 20th March 2020.
• 5. There is some overlap between the skills/expertise requested from the supplier, and the skills/expertise the existing DCMS has (e.g. strategy, economics, ethics, legal). Please could you elaborate on whether you want the supplier to provide a ‘capacity boost’ to the DCMS team (i.e. adding additional resource across a range of domains, with the DCMS team leading the work), or whether you expect the supplier to lead the work (i.e. to ‘hold the pen’ on the review, drive the process, and draw on DCMS’ skills and knowledge as the supplier thinks necessary).: The expectation is that the suppliers will lead the work on the review and draw on DCMS and other government stakeholders' expertise and skills as needed.
• 6. We are a little unclear as to what is meant by “Experience of demonstrating interventions needed by government to address barriers, along with the the costs, benefits and risks of doing so.” Does this refer to evidence of the supplier having made the sorts of interventions which the government may need to make to address barriers to data sharing?: If suppliers have direct experience of suggesting interventions on data sharing that should be included in their EOI. However, other supplier experiences on advising government to overcoming barriers in other policy areas, where there are clear lessons learnt or useful supplier experiences, should also be included in your responses.
• 7. Can you confirm that the current work envisaged (i.e. prior to any contract extension) is primarily concerned with surveying the current landscape, rather than making recommendations for changes?: Yes, but the evidence must contribute to the development of new spending programmes in public sector data developed across government.
• 8. Who is the project owner at DCMS? Who is on the evaluation committee?: The Project owner is the Director of the Data Policy Directorate in DCMS. The evaluation committee will be comprised of officers drawn from DCMS, GDS, and ONS. The consultancy will be managed through the Public Sector Data Policy Team.