UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

Summary The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is preparing a series of technology services procurements to support its next generation digital estate. This Early Market Engagement notice is being issued to ensure transparency and equal access to information ahead of formal engagement. Background DBS is currently finalising its service requirements and delivery model to enable the transition from legacy contract arrangements to a modern, flexible, and collaborative approach. We intend to undertake market engagement in the near future. We will be looking for suppliers to work with us as part of the DBS team rather than as an arms length outsourced provider. This may include a combination of hybrid/blended teams where supplier personnel work alongside DBS personnel (rainbow teams) and delivery through statements of work where the supplier would deliver specific outcomes with their own team. Please see further information below

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is looking to replace its legacy software with modern SAAS based applications. DBS has completed market engagement previously, (https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/463f20de-613a-4b0b-81af-445baf4e11b6?origin=SearchResults&p=1 ), which informed our approach to: -Contract scope for the individual applications and services to be procured -Impact of moving to cloud based applications on the service model -Tender approach and timings -Social value This market engagement focusses specifically on three areas of functionality required, to help inform the structure of our procurement process (including identifying any relevant CCS frameworks) and the procurement timescale. We currently see the three areas (Matching/Data Linkage; Rules Engine; Data Archive/Store) as separate procurements and contracts. Suppliers may respond to the market engagement questions in respect of one or more of these as applicable. Section 5 of this notice provides further information. DBS intends to undertake market engagement to assess interest in the opportunities and to help inform the approach DBS will take to its procurement of the services. We anticipate stage 1 of market engagement, which will be a desk-based exercise, will be to share DBS's requirements and request information from suppliers that will help inform DBS's approach. Stage 2 will be for a reduced number of participants. During this stage we would like to see demonstrations of available solutions to help us understand the capabilities of solutions to inform our requirements. We will explain the rules for participation in Stage 2 as part of Stage 1. We anticipate Stage 1 will commence on 29 July 2024 and Stage 2 will take place during August and September 24. At this stage we believe Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework RM6195 Big Data and Analytics may be the most appropriate frameworks to source our requirements. DBS welcomes feedback from suppliers on the use of this framework, including whether there are any particular advantages and/or disadvantages relating to its use. For the avoidance of doubt, DBS does not commit to using such framework (or indeed, any framework) to procure some or all of its requirements and remains flexible, at this stage, as to its potential route to market. More information about DBS and its operations can be found at: About us - Disclosure and Barring Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Please also see further detail in Section 5 of this notice. Action for suppliers: Suppliers wishing to participate in Stage 1 should register by emailing DBSTenders@dbs.gov.uk with confirmation they are registered on Home Office Jaggaer. Suppliers who are not yet registered can do so here: https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html. Stage 1 will be open for participation from 29 July 2024 until 16 August 2024 and will be conducted via Jaggaer. Please ensure that you register in good time to enable your participation. Additional information: This market engagement is focussed specifically on three areas of functionality required, to help inform our selection of relevant CCS Frameworks and the procurement timescale. The first area is 'data linking / matching' solutions, required to ensure the right person applying for a DBS Check Application or being referred for Barring is matched to the correct existing record in our systems, where applicable, and to the correct information held by the police, where applicable. The second area relates to the rules which determine what information from police forces is populated on to DBS Check certificates ('filtering') and the rules that determine whether a Barring case should be opened and progressed based on information from the DBS Check and other processes. The third area relates to a data storage solution for historical operational information (such as DBS Check applications or Barring Cases) which we may choose not to store in the new SAAS applications. The historical data is a reference source for new DBS Check applications or Barring cases, so needs to be accessible as part of the end to end delivery of DBS Services. DBS is currently implementing Mulesoft as its strategic data integration hub. Any selected application would be expected to integrate with Mulesoft. Further details on our requirements will be provided as part of the supplier engagement.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is looking to replace its legacy software with modern SAAS based applications. Section 5 of this notice provides information on the types of functionality that will likely be required. DBS is seeking application management, as well as technology estate service providers to support DBS's next generation technology estate. DBS intends to undertake market engagement to assess interest in the opportunity and to help inform the approach DBS will take to its procurement of the services. We anticipate stage 1 of market engagement, which will be a desk-based exercise, will be to share DBS's requirements and request information from suppliers that will help inform DBS's approach. Stage 2 will be for a reduced number of participants. During this stage we would like to: 1) see demonstrations of solutions that suppliers believe may be suitable to achieve DBS's required outcomes, 2) understand vendor roadmaps for proposed applications; 3) understand how suppliers ensure configuration of applications for DBS is done in line with vendor's expected best practice. We will explain the rules for participation in Stage 2 as part of Stage 1. We anticipate Stage 1 will commence on 27 September 23 and Stage 2 will take place during October and November 23. At this stage we believe Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Frameworks RM6194 Back Office Software (BOS) and/or RM6193 Software Design and Implementation (SDIS) may be the most appropriate frameworks to source the applications and associated application management services (implementation, ongoing improvements, support). We believe RM6100 Technology Services 3 may be appropriate for the estate wide services, such as the Security Operations Centre (SOC). However, more specific frameworks may be more suitable, such as RM3764.3 Cyber Security Services 3 for SOC. DBS welcomes feedback from suppliers on the use of such frameworks, including whether there are any particular advantages and/or disadvantages relating to their use. For the avoidance of doubt, DBS does not commit to using such frameworks (or indeed, any frameworks) to procure some or all of its requirements and remains flexible, at this stage, as to its potential route to market. We are also interested in hearing suppliers' views on the potential to have a contract term of up to 10 years under BOS / SDIS, both the opportunities and challenges this presents. More information about DBS and its operations can be found at: About us - Disclosure and Barring Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Please also see further detail in Section 5 of this notice. Action for suppliers: Suppliers wishing to participate in Stage 1 of the market engagement should register by emailing DBSTenders@dbs.gov.uk by 23:59 on 22 September 2023 with confirmation that they are registered on Home Office Jaggaer. Suppliers who are not yet registered can do so here: https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html. Stage 1 will be conducted via Jaggaer. Additional information: The applications will be required to support end to end operational processes such as: • managing customer relationships • DBS check from initial application to completion of certificate and DBS's receipt of payment • barring case inception to closure • legal case inception to closure • HR case inception to closure The main areas of functionality required across the suite of applications include: • managing individual and organisation details and interactions with DBS. This may include individuals who apply for a DBS check, organisations that manage applications for DBS checks, individuals referred for barring, organisations or individuals who have referred someone for barring, police forces who provide information to support DBS processes • managing complaints, FOI and SARS • 'order' processing for DBS check applications, including payment processing (individual payments and invoices for volume applications) • case management that can be configured to meet the different types of cases • document management with all of the features required for legal document management, such as a clear and detailed audit trail showing each time a document is accessed whether a quick view, or a download, print, email etc • legal grade document redaction • creation of court document bundles • reporting and dashboards to improve service delivery. DBS is looking to build capability inhouse for managing simple application configuration in future. As part of market engagement, DBS will be interested in suppliers' views on the most appropriate split of responsibilities between inhouse and outsourced teams to manage ongoing development and improvements. DBS is currently implementing Mulesoft as its strategic data integration hub. Any selected application would be expected to integrate with Mulesoft. There are also some applications in the legacy estate which will continue to be used in the next generation estate. We will be looking for a supplier to provide ongoing development and support for these applications when DBS's current arrangements come to an end. In addition to application management, there are some services that will be required to look after the full technology estate. This includes security, where DBS is interested in hearing from suppliers with experience implementing and managing SOC as a service. There may also be some service management services that require third party support. Further details will be provided as part of the supplier engagement. DBS's current strategy is to disaggregate its technology services model. As such we are expecting to award multiple contracts to cover all of the required services rather than one contract to cover all services although DBS retains the right to change its strategy and intended approach as a result of this market engagement exercise or otherwise. As part of market engagement, we will be interested in hearing from suppliers about the most appropriate split of services into different contracts.

DBS is finalising its requirements for the procurement of technology services for its next generation estate. There are: • a number of cloud-based applications and platforms that are already known that would be supported as part of the services; • new applications that are in the process of being sourced that will need supporting; and • additional applications in DBS's legacy technology estate that will persist into the next generation estate that will also require support. DBS is considering the procurement approach for these requirements and the responses to this preliminary market engagement will be considered in finalising the approach. Please see the Engagement section of this notice for information on how you can participate in this online market engagement.