User Services for Emergency Services Network (ESN)

Description

Further to a Prior Information Notice (PIN) ref: 2022/S 000-027907 issued on 4 October 2022, the Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Authority) is undertaking this procurement to appoint a suitably capable and experienced provider of User Services for the Emergency Services Network (ESN). The information previously shared as part of the market engagement activity has now been superseded by the procurement and contract documentation issued in connection with this contract notice. Only the information shared pursuant to this contract notice should be relied upon by suppliers deciding whether to request to participate in this procurement The ESN will replace Airwave in the future as the main critical communications system for first responders across Great Britain. There are more than 300,000 emergency service users who will rely on the system we are creating for their own operational safety and the welfare of the British public. The Emergency Services Mobile Communication Programme (ESMCP) is responsible for delivering the programme and we need companies with high standards, who can work with us to provide the technical building blocks needed, and who believe in the significance of what we are creating in ESN. ESN will be provided by the User Services Supplier working in conjunction with other suppliers to the programme, principally the Mobile Services Supplier (currently EE). The Mobile Services Supplier provides the radio access network infrastructure and related services. The User Services Supplier is responsible for the following areas: Programme and project management delivery ·System integration, including the production of end-to-end designs and managing the integration of all systems and interfaces necessary to deliver ESN · Delivery of network and IT infrastructure as required for the User Services, including a dedicated dual 4G/5G SA mobile core network · Provision of a 3GPP-compliant solution for Mission Critical Services (MCX) supporting Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT), Data (MCData) and Video (MCVideo) features · Specification and certification services for third-party devices and systems to connect to ESN · Provision of an enterprise mobility management service for ESN devices · Provision of customer support, including a self-service interface, billing and reporting services · Provision of service integration and service management, co-ordinating support from other ESN suppliers and managing end-to-end support for ESN User Services must be resilient by design and optimised to work over mobile networks. The MCX Services, which are core to the User Services, will provide prioritised group and individual voice, data and video communications over the 4G mobile network which is currently provided by EE (Mobile Services Supplier). This opportunity is to establish a contract for User Services for the ESN and will be operated in line with the Competitive Dialogue Procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Regulations) The procurement comprises a multi-stage procurement process that is intended to short list qualified bidders, via an assessment of responses to the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ), who will in turn be invited to participate in dialogue with the Authority and tender for the contract opportunity. The SQ document is provided on the Authority's e-sourcing portal and will be available to suppliers who sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and Ethical Walls Agreement (please see Section VI.3 below for detail on how to access this). Note the date & time in IV2.2/ IV2.3 relates to SQ closing. The evaluation panel shall evaluate the SQ responses using selection criteria detailed in the SQ document. A Descriptive Document (DD) which sets out the Authority's requirements will also be made available to suppliers who sign the (NDA & EWA).   The Authority intends to issue draft contractual documentation at a later stage in the procurement, as detailed in the SQ. Lot 1: Aims and Objectives of the Programme ESMCP is seeking a supplier of User Services (US) to provide a managed service for the 3 Emergency Services (Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance) (“3ES")and other users and will be a key part of the ESN. The US supplier will provide end to end systems integration (including interfaces and testing services) for the ESN including, but not limited to providing public safety communications services (including developing and operating the public safety applications), providing the necessary telecommunications infrastructure; user device management, customer support, and service management. Future users of ESN include the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services as well as a range of other users ranging from local authorities and utility services to first responders like inshore rescue. There are 300,000+ frontline emergency service users who will depend on ESN, using handheld devices or operating equipment in 45,000 vehicles, 66+ aircraft and more than 100 control rooms. All of Mobile Services Suppliers coverage will be available for ESN with specific contract provision for the majority of roads; user defined Critical Operational Locations; up to 10,000 feet in the air and 12 nautical miles from Britain’s coastline. The services are primarily intended for use by public-sector bodies in England, Scotland, and Wales. User Organisations, including the 3ES and non-3ES Sharer Organisations, are listed within the DD The 3ES service will be required to cover (currently): — Approximately 250,000 operational staff (with a broadly equivalent number of connected mobile communication devices taking into account the proportion of staff with a device, vehicles, and pools of spare devices) across the 3ES; — 44 Police and Crime Commissioners/services; — 50 Fire and Rescue Authorities/services; — 13 ambulance trusts; — National Crime Agency; — 3 non-Home Office Police Services (British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary); — National Police Air Service. ESN will also provide a service for more than just the 3ES however as 400+ Government and local public safety and other bodies use the current system and will potentially require the ability to use ESN. These other bodies may add up to approximately 50,000 additional connected devices, and may include the Central Government Departments, Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Agencies, Local Authorities in Great Britain and a number of charitable bodies and other organisations that interact with public safety bodies. The Authority may from time to time modify this list to reflect changes to the organisational structure of the 3ES. The Authority is seeking to appoint a supplier to deliver the Services. The successful supplier needs to be able to meet the Authority's requirements (further detailed in the procurement documentation) and must be capable of delivering highly secure and complex services for an initial contract term until 31st December 2031 with optional 2 years extensions in 12-month periods. Following publication of the Contract Notice, Procurement will be structured in the following successive stages: : The Selection Stage Dialogue Stage, which comprises the following stages: Invitation to Participate in Dialogue (“ITPD”) issued to qualified Bidders Initial Dialogue Meetings Initial Outline Proposal submitted by Bidders Detailed Dialogue meetings Close Dialogue and Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (“ITSFT”) Tender evaluation and contract award.