22/2016: Replacement of old Wide Area Network and core Local Area Network services with a new solution and contract – 13 September 2016

Executive Summary and Recommendation:

The decision to replace the current network services solution was agreed on the 24^th of May 2016 following a Service Review of the current supply and support contract with a detailed Business Case produced. This was based on the current contract with the incumbent supplier Virgin Media Business ending on the 24^th of March 2017. On this date North Yorkshire Police would reach the maximum possible term of this agreement.

To ensure North Yorkshire Police can continue to deliver its vital services to the general public, action was required. Based on this the route to market chosen was the Crown Commercial Service RM1045 framework. The investigation and evaluation of all procurement routes has been conducted in a fair, comprehensive, thorough and transparent process.

The new solution and contract was required to take into account any future changes to policing locations and provide an improved performance, scalability and affordability. This included the requirement to ensure the new headquarters was connected to the current headquarters to allow for the transfer of IT services in 2017.

The contract will ensure all North Yorkshire Police buildings are connected to its IT systems and allow the new Headquarters to support the staff members working within it. This contract also provides core networking infrastructure to support the new Alverton Court Headquarters along with other core sites for the next 5 years.

The total capital expenditure is £1,511,612, providing a contract revenue reduction of £2,247,268 over 5 years. This provides a total cost of change reduction of £2,069,699 to North Yorkshire Police when compared to the past contract.

Decision

Police and Crime Commissioner decision: Approved

Signature: 
Date: 13 September 2016
Title: Police and Crime Commissioner

1. Introduction and Background

North Yorkshire Police is currently in its final year of its WAN (Wide Area Network) contract with VMB (Virgin Media Business). This contract ends on the 24th of March 2017 having already been extended to the maximum period of its agreement. North Yorkshire Police is required to have a compliant network under the PSN-P legislation so action is required.

Meetings have been held between the ICT Technical Project Manager and Regional Procurement regarding the requirement to procure a new contract. Based on this a Regional Procurement Officer was assigned to the project.

An Options Appraisal paper was produced by the ICT Technical Project Manager and reviewed by the Information Communications Technology Manager and Principal Officer of Communications on the 15th of March. The outcome of this was the recommendation for North Yorkshire Police to progress with the procurement at the earliest opportunity.

Connections are required to be installed to North Yorkshire Police’s new headquarters at Alverton Court Northallerton in March 2017. Additionally temporary connections will be required between Alverton Court and Newby Wiske to transfer IT infrastructure services.

The LAN (Local Area Network) maintenance contract currently with VMB ends in August 2017 with a new agreement needing to be considered. This includes items such as core network switches and firewalls. Wi-Fi maintenance currently with VMB ended February 2016 and will require a new agreement. These items can all be procured under the single framework RM1045 under Lot 1 and 2.

The route to market has been reviewed with procurement and the options of an OJEU open and restricted procurement have been eliminated. In the interest of time and costs these options were not viable or in the interest of North Yorkshire Police. It was agreed the most suitable option was the RM1045 framework under the Crown Commercial Services.

It was agreed at the ICT and Estates Governance and Delivery Board that an urgent Business Case and ATP (Authority to Proceed) was required based on the briefing paper produced.

This was completed and approved on the 24^th of May 2016 with a technical specification document produced for tender. The tender was submitted to the market on the 8^th of July 2016 providing 6 weeks for final submission.

Previous documents:

• Options Appraisal: produced by Technical ICT Project Manager, 15th of March 2016
• Wide Area Network – ICT and Estates Governance and Delivery Board – Briefing Paper: produced by Technical ICT Project Manager, 11th of April 2016
• Business Case: produced by Technical ICT Project Manager, 12^th of May 2016
• Presentation of peer review findings: produced by Technical ICT Project Manager, 24^th of May 2016
• Authority to proceed: produced by Technical ICT Project Manager, Approved – 24^th of May 2016

2. Other Options Considered

1. Do Nothing

Engage with North Yorkshire Police’s current Network Service Provider Virgin Media Business for an extension for an agreed duration. Based on this a procurement notification would need to be issued to explain North Yorkshire Police’s grounds for exception.

As North Yorkshire Police has already extended its current agreement to the maximum term possible under the framework agreement, a further extension will be open to procurement challenges. The date of change was known to North Yorkshire Police with ample time to arrange procurement and oversee the transition of service.

The new headquarters is also required to be connected to the network and will require using this contract at higher costs. This will create major issues later when the solution is eventual changed. This would affect cost, staffing and downtime to migrate to a new solution and will need to be fully project managed.

This option was rejected as a new contract would bring reduced revenue costs, ensure the solution was PSN-P security compliant and on new infrastructure.

2. Procure new Gold Standard Contract and Solution

Advertise a highly available and technical specification requirement to the market under the Crown Commercial Service RM1045 framework.

Following a Business Continuity review of the buildings and functions it was evident that not all buildings required the same level of technical services. Different matrixes were produced to categorise what level of service was required for the supplier. This resulted in the level of bandwidth and connection type being identified for North Yorkshire Police’s technical specification to the market.

Undertaking such a review resulted in the recommended option being selected to provide a reduction in the capital and revenue costs North Yorkshire Police would be paying to the Network Services supplier.

3. Contribution to Police and Crime Plan Priorities

The recommendations in this Decision Notice are offered on the basis that they will fully support the Police and Crime Plan priorities as follows:

• Transforming the Organisation – Improving Efficiency & Productivity
• Affordability – Business Planning

4. Implementation and Resourcing Implications

A budget is required to ensure resource is available for the design, review of tender returns and the implementation of the solution. A Technical Consultant is required to review North Yorkshire Police’s requirements and to undertake a review of the winning bidder’s proposal. Voice and Data Engineers are required for the implementation of the bidder’s solution. This covers a period from September 2016 to March 2017.

Further details of Contract and Project costs are provided within Part 2 of this Decision Notices.

5. Consultations Carried Out

6. Compliance Checks

Financial Implications/Value for money:

The proposal results in a recurring revenue saving, out of which the upfront capital costs would be funded. If approved, this will be incorporated in the next version of the MTFP and the net revenue savings will be removed from the budget for 2017/18 onwards.

Legal Implications:

Having read this report and having considered such information as has been provided at the time of being asked to express this view, the Acting Force Solicitor and Head of Legal Services is satisfied that this report does not ask the PCC for North Yorkshire to make a decision which would (or would be likely to) give rise to a contravention of the law.

Human Resources Implications:          

The contents of this proposal are noted.  It is understood that resource requirements have been identified, funding secured and individuals are in place to take on this work when scheduled to do so.

Public Access to information

As a general principle, the Commissioner expects to be able to publish all decisions taken and all matters taken into account when reaching the decision.  This Notice will detail all information which the Commissioner will disclose into the public domain.  The decision and information will be made available on the Commissioner’s website.

Only where material is properly classified as Restricted under the Government Protective Marking Scheme or if that material falls within the description at 2(2) of The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) Order 2011 will the Commissioner not disclose decisions and/or information provided to enable that decision to be made.  In these instances, Part 2 will be used to detail those matters considered to be restricted.  Information in Part 2 will not be published.

All decisions taken by the Commissioner will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Part 2

Is there a Part 2 to this Notice – YES

Reason for restriction:
The information included in Part 2 is properly classified as Restricted based on the information being commercially sensitive.

Report Information
Author: Christopher Vickers, Technical ICT Project Manager
Head of Department: Sudeep Chatterjee, Information Communications Technology Manager
Executive Group Sponsor: Jane Palmer, Chief Accountant
Date created: 13/09/2016

Background documents:
Provided within Part 2 of this Decision Notice

I confirm that all the above advice has been sought and received against this and any associated Part 2 information and I am satisfied that this is an appropriate request to be submitted for a decision

Signature: Christopher Vickers, Technical ICT Project Manager

Date: 13/09/2016