EIP Digital Service Discovery - Registration Process Efficiency (workstream 3/3)

Description

Summary of the work This is workstream 3/3 of the EIP Digital Service Discovery. This seeks to identify service solutions to support changes implemented as part of the Elections Bill. This will focus on considering solutions which increase efficiency and integrity, supporting changes around postal and proxy-voting; the continuing and revised processes of registration. Expected Contract Length 6-8 weeks Latest start date Monday 30 August 2021 Budget Range £60,000 - £100,000 Why the Work is Being Done The Cabinet Office Electoral Integrity Programme (EIP) will deliver key Government manifesto and ministerial commitments including the national roll out of voter identification; making it easier for overseas electors to vote; improving the transparency of political campaigning; measures to secure our democratic processes, improving the security of postal and proxy voting; and making polling stations more accessible. To deliver this transformational work, it is expected that the Cabinet Office will introduce substantial primary legislation into Parliament at the earliest opportunity. The Programme will run change projects concurrently to deliver substantial supporting secondary legislation, and digital innovation plus the infrastructure across the United Kingdom to support the successful delivery of the Government’s vision. Discovery workstream 3, Registration Process Efficiency, will focus on considering solutions to increase the integrity of processes while reducing the burdens to electoral administrators, supporting changes to absent voting rules and the continuing and revised processes of registration. Problem to Be Solved Digital discovery work is necessary to identify and refine proposed processes to enable us to work towards implementation of measures. The discovery phase will be aimed at identifying and refining several options, allowing future decisions to be evidence based and driven by data. The discovery phase is essential to agile working, to enable refinement of options before money is spent building services. The discovery should do the following as a minimum: Identify the minimum viable product (MVP) for implementation of policy goals (including changes to local electoral management systems) Recommend new processes/digital products based on analysis of the balance of elector accessibility, security, and administrative burden Consider the needs of both electors and electoral administrators, gathering robust evidence from user research to inform recommendations. Consider the offline/paper-based process in parallel to digital processes Work within constraints (such as legal and system interoperability) to recommend solutions which deliver greatest benefits Work closely with Electoral Integrity Programme teams: Digital, Business Implementation, Analysis, and Policy. Who Are the Users There are two key user groups: Members of the public who are eligible to register to vote, and vote in a statutory poll in the UK. Electors can vote in polling stations, or by post or proxy. Electoral administrators are individuals who work at local authorities to manage the electoral register and organise polls. Early Market Engagement None Work Already Done None Existing Team The Cabinet-Office EIP Digital team has 6 members; Product-Lead, Delivery-Manager, Service-Designer, 2 Business-Analysts and a User-Researcher. Cabinet-Office EIP is supported by a wider team, which includes: Constitution Group Analysis experts Business implementation specialists Policy officials Legal advisors This workstream, Registration Process Efficiency, is the third of three workstreams. All three workstreams will proceed in parallel once awarded. Each work package is assessed and awarded separately during procurement, dependent on supplier experience in areas within the scope of work, such as identity, and distributed service delivery. Multiple suppliers for each requirement will be expected to work together on deliverables where appropriate. Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Demonstrable experience of leading Discovery activities • Conducting user research remotely • Qualitative analysis and Quantitative analysis techniques • Evaluation and recommendation of service design options based on user needs • Identifying efficiencies in administrative processes and reducing administrative burdens Nice to Haves Experience of distributed service delivery and design (with national and local components) Work Location London Working Arrangments The Supplier is expected to support the EIP Team during normal opening hours (Monday to Friday 08:00 to 18:00). The work will be mainly remote but the London office will be a focal point for the EIP Project and CO may expect supplier staff to spend part of their time at any location designated by the buyer as required, including for workshops, meetings, collaboration, and team building. Security Clearance BPSS or higher. Clearance cost to be borne by the supplier. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 4 Proposal Criteria • What is your proposed approach to conduct this discovery phase and define successful recommendations that will help us achieve our goal? (8%) • How will you evaluate potential options/solutions based on user needs, and make recommendations to Cabinet Office on what to take forward to Alpha phase? (6%) • Detail your delivery roadmap and how your discovery will integrate into a wider programme as an example. (9%) • Detail the artefacts that will be delivered as part of the discovery output.(8%) • Detail how you will work within constraints (such as legal and system interoperability) to recommend solutions which deliver greatest benefits.(5%) • Detail any risks and assumptions that you have made in the presentation of your proposal. (5%) • CVs/biographies of the lead(s) assigned to the work (9%) • Social value commitment 10% Cultural Fit Criteria • Collaboration with government teams and other suppliers whilst retaining accountability (5%) • Working in a fast paced and sensitive environment (5%) Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method • Case study • Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 10% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers 1. Does the budget range of £60,000 – £100,000 include or exclude VAT? No, excludes vat 2. In the working arrangements section you mention the supplier is expected to support the EIP Team during normal opening hours (Monday to Friday 08:00 to 18:00).What are the expected number of working hours in a normal working day? We would like suppliers to be available for our EIP team duirng the hours of 08:00 and 18:00, thereby allowing flexibility for the work concerned. Normal hours being 7.5hrs 3. As you have requested the same essential and nice to have criteria over the three different workstreams, will the same answers be sufficient if applying for all three? Or, will you require different answers for each? We will be assessing each workstream independently and will not be comparing answers to other workstreams. 4. In one of the clarification questions already answered, the Authority made reference to “further details (being) available in the detailed spec” with regards to the specific role(s) suppliers will need to perform. We are unable to see any other attachments to this opportunity which provide that information. Can the Authority please clarify where this information can be found? This information will be provided to shortlisted suppliers who are invited to the evaluation stage of the procurement 5. Would the Cabinet Office prefer only one supplier to deliver the work for all of the workstreams for the EIP Digital Service Discovery We will be assessing each workstream independently and will not be comparing answers to other workstreams. There is no preference either way, and the responses will determine the outcomes. 6. How will the different workstreams be managed if different providers are delivering each piece of discovery? The internal Cabinet Office team will provide management, direction and governance to suppliers working on the discovery pieces, ensuring cross team engagement occurs. 7. You reference a “detailed spec” in Q8 answer – when will that be will shared with suppliers? This information will be provided to shortlisted suppliers who are invited to the evaluation stage of the procurement. 8. Do you see any advantage or disadvantage in one supplier completing all three? We will be assessing each workstream independently and will not be comparing answers to other workstreams. 9. What are the main drivers for running three discoveries rather than one longer one? Workstreams must occur in parallel to meet overall programme timelines. Due to the complexity and scale of the work overall, we have split the work into packages which are more deliverable in the manner we need. 10. How will the different workstreams be managed if different providers are delivering each piece of discovery? The internal Cabinet Office team will provide management, direction and governance to suppliers working on the discovery pieces, ensuring cross team engagement occurs. 11. Do you have an active user group that we would have access to for research purposes? Suppliers should assume that the scope of work delivered will include recruitment activities for electors. 12. What is the current level of buy in to the programme from Local Authority stakeholders /operators of local election management systems? The scope of the discovery will include identifying solutions which successfully meet the needs of these stakeholders.