CPD4126036 DLUHC Urgent Requirements for User Centred Policy Design Expertise

Description

Summary of work DLUHC requires a new supplier to support the design of user centred policies and services which the department is responsible for. This contract will be used to fund multidisciplinary delivery teams (often running concurrently in separate projects) to tackle complex policy problems. In some cases it will also fund provision of individuals to support existing Civil Servant teams. This support will scope, design and deliver policy and service projects which meet the Service Standard and Technology Code of Practice (where appropriate). The first activity that this will be used for is to undertake a discovery project into attitudes towards Modern Methods of Construction, but it will also be expected to be used to design and develop a number of other projects in the Department over the course of the contract period. For the initial discovery outlined, we would expect a team to use cutting-edge tools and approaches that enable: Clear problem and mission definition in conjunction with the policy team, including thorough appreciation of the policy context and alignment with work already completed in this space Precise user segmentation and recruitment of research participants Thoughtful shaping of discussion guides and delivery of appropriate user research techniques Guidance and support for the policy team to learn the principles and skills being deployed on the work Embedding of agile principles throughout the project Clear and nuanced reporting of findings in a way that appeals to, and is accessible by, a wide range of stakeholders. We would aim to fill the first service team as soon as the procurement exercise is completed, with additional teams expected to be required soon afterwards. Any further work through this contract will be agreed by both parties via a statement of work (SOW) process using the contracted daily rate. Where the supplied staff will work No specific location (for example they can work remotely) Who the organisation using the products or services is Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Why the work is being done DLUHC requires additional expert capacity and cutting-edge skills to enhance its understanding of the drivers, perceptions and barriers held by consumers towards homes built using MMC (Modern Methods of Construction). MMC – building whole modular homes or significant component parts off site before delivering them to the land - is seen by Government as a key contributor to improving housing supply while simultaneously ensuring that this supply is safe, fit for purpose and has a low environmental impact. Currently the department has (and is further developing) good awareness of barriers to market adoption of MMC but requires more in depth understanding of the consumer aspect. Enhanced understanding of the problem space for consumers, combined with growing understanding of the market, is expected to support targeted interventions in the housing market to enhance the uptake of MMC buildings. This project is a good example of common discovery activity that the department engages in. It is likely, though not guaranteed, that further projects will require similar resourcing to support exploration of the problem space. In addition it is likely, though not guaranteed, that many discovery projects will progress into alpha activity through this contract as well – exploration and testing potential solutions to the needs highlighted during discovery. The business problem MMC is an innovative approach to the construction of homes that is well utilised across Central and Northern Europe but is yet to gain large scale traction in the UK. There are a number of challenges and unknowns relating to the MMC field that the department wishes to understand more clearly in order to develop targeted interventions. 1. There is a perceived lack of consumer demand for MMC, but the precise reasons for consumers not engaging with this method are not clear 2. The experience of those living in existing MMC properties is not well understood and therefore cannot be responded to as part of a wider conversation with potential consumers of MMC homes 3. Some consumer behaviours are potentially leading to damage to MMC homes and invalidation of warranties but the reasons for these behaviours are not well understood Without a clear understanding of consumer opinions and behaviours, and the factors driving them, the department will be less effective in designing its interventions. As a supplier you will solve this lack of insight through deep, targeted and considered research that compliments existing market insight and wider research into the space from the MMC industry and beyond. As previously mentioned, DLUHC has an ongoing need for digital supporting services. This will include, but not be limited to user research and prototyping activities. Following the MMC project, this contract will likely be (but is not guaranteed to be) a key part of addressing these needs. The department often has significant demand for concurrent discovery and alpha projects across a wide range of topic areas to inform the design of impactful policies and services. In some cases there may also be need for beta delivery capacity. The people who will use the product or service User type: As this is a discovery it does not presume any product or service at this point. Definition: The user groups we expect this discovery to engage with include: • those looking to buy a home • those already living in an MMC property • potential builders of MMC properties such as Housing Associations, Local Authorities and Build to Rent providers In future projects, the people being engaged with could relate to a wide range of user groups, including but not limited to social renters, private landlords, people who are homeless, people appealing a parking ticket, people experiencing antisocial behaviour, people looking to build new homes. Any pre-market engagement done Not applicable. No pre-market engagement activity has been carried out. Work done so far A discovery into the market and industry barriers to MMC expansion will begin in approx. April 2024 and be conducted by the incumbent provider, Zaizi Ltd. The findings from this discovery will need to be considered when refining the scope of this piece of consumer-focused discovery. These findings can be shared with the successful bidder prior to commencement of the project. There has been no other insight work undertaken by the department on this topic, however there are some examples within MMC of manufacturers providing digital content, which can be easily accessed by tenants/resident, upon completion of their homes. This information can be updated and accessed by future home owners/tenants, but no information has been collated from them. There is no widespread research on the topic and data on MMC in general is very limited. Which phase the project is in Discovery Existing team There is no existing research or design team associated with the MMC policy area. During this discovery, policy advisors will act as subject matter experts (SMEs ) to guide the delivery team. There is no other supplier involved in delivering this discovery. In other pieces of work that may emerge through this wider contract, the supplier will work in a similar way – delivering expertise and capacity while representatives of the contracting policy team will act as SMEs, setting the direction of the work and providing appropriate linkages into stakeholders where possible. In this and any future pieces of work via this contract, we would expect the provider to be working to embed understanding and appreciation of cutting-edge approaches and methods within the policy team that they engage with. Address where the work will be done Remote working will be the norm during this project, with occasional travel to our London or Leeds offices possible for key meetings. On future projects, the majority of work will be done remotely – 80% remote, 20% office-based). The supplier may need to attend meetings or workshops at other locations upon request. These are most likely to be in London, Birmingham or Wolverhampton , but could also be in other DLUHC regional offices within the United Kingdom. We would expect the supplier to fund such travel for their staff. Working arrangements The Supplier is expected to support the service during the hours of 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. The majority of interactions are expected to be remote to ensure that team members and stakeholders can feed in regardless of their location. On occasion we may expect the supplier to work face to face for key workshops or other events. This will be agreed on a project by project basis. Security and vetting requirements Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) More information about the Security requirements: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is essential for all staff on the MMC project. Future projects will require a minimum of BPSS. Additional requirements (such as Security Check – SC – clearance in scenarios where access to production environments is needed) will be specified in the corresponding statement of work Latest start date 2 September 2024 Expected contract length Contract length: 2 years 0 months 0 days Optional extension: 1 years 0 months 0 days Special terms and conditions special term or condition: All outputs will be owned by DLUHC and published openly where appropriate using a suitable open license that supports reuse. special term or condition: All materials/outputs derived from the contract shall be the property of DLUHC. special term or condition: All work will be commissioned as individual Statements of Work (SoW) as follows: The Authority will issue a statement of requirements to the supplier. The Supplier will provide a costed proposal outlining how the requirement outcome will be delivered. This proposal should consider any additional factors related to the requirement, such as cybersecurity, data protection, and other relevant considerations. The Authority will review and then either comment/seek amendments to the proposal or confirm acceptance. Budget Indicative maximum: £19000000 Indicative minimum: £120000 Further information: Budgets for beyond FY 23-24 are still to be confirmed and subject to internal funding approvals, however over the course of the contract we are confident that we would surpass the minimum indicative budget significantly due to the pipeline of work expected to utilise this contract, regardless of the impact of a general election. The indicative minimum budget is the expected budget for MMC, £120,0000.00. The maximum overall indicative budget of £19M relates to the total maximum that all possible projects may reach under this contract. Due to the unforeseen nature of some of our requirements, the precise number of commissions that may be required cannot be stated and DLUHC does not provide any guarantee of work under this contract. Contracted out service or supply of resource? Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply