Awarded to IBM United Kingdom Ltd

Start date: Tuesday 29 August 2017
Value: £137,229.40
Company size: large

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

CURAM Technical Architect required for the delivery of a Curam upgrade

10 Incomplete applications

8 SME, 2 large

7 Completed applications

5 SME, 2 large

• Published: Thursday 20 July 2017
• Deadline for asking questions: Monday 24 July 2017 at 11:59pm GMT
• Closing date for applications: Thursday 27 July 2017 at 11:59pm GMT

Overview

• Specialist role: Technical Architect
• Summary of the work: DWP is delivering modern products which are driving innovation within wider government alongside maintaining large numbers of existing applications, administering benefits countrywide. This is an exciting opportunity to provide technical support in the implementation of a major product upgrade to applications which support the administration of Personal Independence Payments systems.
• Latest start date: Monday 7 August 2017
• Expected contract length: Initial contract term to 22/12/17 with maximum extension up to 24 months at the discretion of DWP.
• Location: North West England
• Organisation the work is for: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Maximum day rate: £1330

About the work

• Who the specialist will work with: An existing delivery team (project manager, business analysts, developers, testers and other technical resources) is already in place within the Children, Health and Pensions Service of DWP which has responsibility for designing, delivering and implementing changes to the existing Curam based application. The team works with colleagues in other areas of DWP. This role will augment that team in the delivery of a major product upgrade.
• What the specialist will work on: The consultant will work with DWP Delivery Teams and provide assistance services as follows:; 1. Share functional and technical knowledge relating to Curam.; 2. Assist with the requirements analysis, design, development and testing of the PIPCS Curam upgrade to deliver the scope as specified by DWP.; 3. Support planning activities and the development of the IT delivery plan; 4. Provide input to the IT governance products; 5. Attend specified project meetings; 6. Adhere to the Security requirements of the DWP.; 7. Assist the DWP with project reporting; 8. The consultant will not have access to live data or products

Work setup

• Address where the work will take place: Peel Park Brunel Way Blackpool Lancashire FY4 5ES
• Working arrangements: On site in Blackpool 5 days per week, working a standard working week of 37 hours. All expenses shall be capped in accordance with the buyer's expense policy.
• Security clearance: Consultants should have Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) security clearance or equivalent in place prior to the contract start date of 7th August 2017. For further details please see Additional Information.

Additional information

• Additional terms and conditions: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-baseline-personnel-security-standard

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:
  • Curam Accredited Senior Technical Consultant with 18 months relevant experience of the Curam product and knowledge of Curam upgrades(12%)
  • Proven experience in the facilitation of workshops with client staff on technical and non-functional requirements (8%)
  • Proven experience in the creation of functional and technical designs for Curam extensions and configurations (8%)
  • Proven experience of developing, coding and testing Curam extensions (7%)
  • Proven experience of investigating and resolving situations where actual test results do not match expected results (7%)
  • Meeting facilitation skills (6%)
• Nice-to-have skills and experience:
  • Experience of assisting and mentoring less experienced resources on project teams (4%)
  • Awareness of maintaining industry standard version controls. (4%)

How suppliers will be evaluated

• How many specialists to evaluate: 5
• Cultural fit criteria:
  • Demonstrate a flexible attitude and the ability to shift tasks to meet changing priorities (3%)
  • Demonstrate successful collaborative working as part of a multi-supplier delivery team sharing knowledge within the team (3%)
• Assessment methods:
  • Work history
  • Interview
• Evaluation weighting:

  Technical competence

  74%

  Cultural fit

  6%

  Price

  20%

Questions asked by suppliers

• 1. Why and how will Work History be assessed?: DWP will request bidders to provide evidence of their essential and nice to have skills. Bidders will then be shortlisted down to the top 5 ranking compliant bidders (on the basis of the evaluation of this criteria). The top 5 ranking bidders will then be requested to provide a full Work History response within 3 working days that will be evaluated against the remaining 18% allocation of the total 74% assigned to Technical Competence.
• 2. Why and how will Financial Standing be assessed? (1 of 2): (1 of 2) DWP will perform a Financial Variable Risk Assessment prior to entering into contract with the preferred Supplier, to ensure the Supplier is sufficiently financially stable to deliver against the requirements and meet their obligations under the agreement.
• 3. Why and how will Financial Standing be assessed? (2 of 2): (2 of 2) The financial viability risk assessment will not count towards the overall evaluation scores, but will be used to highlight any financial risks to the Authority. This will be used to provide feedback to Potential Providers on issues they need to consider and resolve in order to satisfy DWP's confidence that the potential provider can deliver the proposed contract. In the event a potential provider is unable to satisfy, then they may be excluded from the process.
• 4. Will you sponsor BPSS clearance?: We cannot sponsor Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance. The candidate is expected to provide assurance of full security clearance for all 4 main elements at this basic level.
• 5. Can any other security clearance such as CTC, SC or DV be considered for this role?: Security clearance at BPSS level is essential. Security clearance levels over and above this, will be considered.
• 6. What is the lead time for feedback once the application is submitted?: The aim is to conclude activities as quickly and efficiently as possible and the aim is to provide feedback, if unsuccessful, during the week commencing 14/08/17. However this may be subject to change.
• 7. Can more than one candidate per supplier be submitted for this role?: Suppliers can only put forward 1 specialist for each specialist opportunity.
• 8. Any chances of change in start date as the latest date mentioned is Monday 7 August 2017?: The intention is that the resource will be engaged from 07/08/17. However this may be subject to change. In the event the evaluation and interview stage demands a longer timetable, the start date may slip a little. The deadline for completion of this activity remains fixed at 22/12/17
• 9. Any specific format(pdf, doc) in which CVs to be sent later?: A template will be issued for completion at the shortlist stage whereby the Work History is requested.
• 10. Is occasional remote working allowed?: This role cannot be undertaken remotely. The successful candidate is to work closely with the existing in-house team.
• 11. What is the total number for positions open for this role?: Just 1 position for this role
• 12. Would you consider work permit holders (e.g. Tier 2 General Visa) and EU passport holders for this role ?: We would consider work permit holders (e.g. Tier 2 General Visa) and EU passport holders for this role. However the candidate would be required to obtain the standard Security clearances.
• 13. What are the other expenses which will be paid?: The Department will pay Travel & Subsistence, in line with its Expense Policy, of all agreed travel away from the base location. It is anticipated that there will be very limited travel necessary during the term of this role.
• 14. Is the rate inclusive or exclusive of VAT?: The rate is exclusive of VAT
• 15. Has an IR35 assessment been done in regards to this position?: The Department has conducted an IR35 assessment for this role and the outcome is the intermediaries legislation applies to this engagement.
• 16. CORRECTION TO QUESTION 15: Has an IR35 assessment been done in regards to this position?: The Department has conducted an IR35 assessment for this role and the outcome is the intermediaries legislation doesn't apply to this engagement.