"Airlock" Output Checking System OCS Decision Engine Development Partner

Award outcome

Description

UKB is seeking to further improve its technical controls and intends to implement a functional mechanism to check data egress requests to ensure that participant record-level data is not being removed and does not contain information that can identify individual participants. This Output Checking System (OCS) functionality will allow UKB to enhance the security of the UKB-RAP, reduce the risk of advertent and inadvertent data breaches and importantly increase the trust and transparency of the UKB resource. UKB intends to commence a procurement exercise to procure a replacement for the current UKB-RAP in 2027, which will come into effect in 2028. The OCS will need to be integrated with the new UKB-RAP. Output checking processes for Trusted Research Environments (TREs) have to date been based on manual processes, with data analysts or administrators employed to review data egress requests to ensure they meet compliance standards. Given their reliance on human oversight of large data outputs, these systems are costly and do not provide a failsafe, and they cannot scale to the demands of UKB given its very large user base and continued growth. With over 20,000 publications (5,000 in the past year alone), a manual output checking process is neither desirable nor feasible. To develop and deliver the OCS, UKB is separating the procurement into two elements which will need to be fully interoperable: 1. OCS User Interface (UI) and Workflow (subject to a separate tender exercise via the CCS G-Cloud 14 framework): The development of a seamless UI and Workflow for the OCS, including secure movement of data and integration with existing UKB infrastructure. 2. The OCS Decision Engine (this procurement): The development of the core algorithms to allow an automated assessment of the data being egressed, giving an overall confidence assessment score and a Red/Amber/Green (RAG) rating for decision making The OCS Decision Engine The OCS Decision Engine is made up of two components: 1. Data Trust Engine: reviews the egressed file(s) from UKB-RAP to detect the presence of sensitive information. Through the application of transparent, heuristic rules and configurable thresholds, the Data Trust Engine will create a score for how 'disclosive' the egressed data is that, when coupled with the researcher confidence score below, provides a Red (fail), Amber (unclear) or Green (pass) egress rating. 2. Researcher Behaviour Engine: derives the overall credibility of a given researcher within AMS and UKB-RAP, and assigns a confidence score, which will dictate how human-review decisions are made for 'Amber' outcomes from the Trust Engine. This Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) is being issued to invite Bids for a development partner to design and deliver the OCS Decision Engine, which will include the Data Trust Engine and Researcher Behaviour Engine. The estimated contract value for the provision of services as set out in this Contract Notice and for the duration described is anticipated to be £2m GBP UKB reserves the right to discontinue or delay the procurement process and may decide not to award a contract as a result of this call for competition. UKB shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any organisation in considering and/or responding to the procurement process. Tenders and supporting documents must be priced in pounds sterling and all payments made under the contract will be in pounds sterling, unless otherwise advised. UKB will incorporate a standstill period at the point the decision in relation to the award of the contracts is notified to bidders. The standstill period, which will be a minimum of eight (8) working days, provides time for unsuccessful bidders to lodge an appeal in regards to the award decisions, before the contracts are entered into.

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