End User Device Refresh FY 21/22

This decision concerns the refresh of laptop and desktop devices used by MPS officers and staff that are at end of life, or will become so during 2021/22, at a capital cost of £14,700,000 funded from approved Digital Policing capital budget. No new procurement is required as the refresh will be made via existing Digital Policing contracts, including the recently let Pegasus infrastructure contract, which includes scope for this work.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve spend of £14,700,000 from approved Digital Policing Capital budget to replace networked end user laptops and desktops in line with policy, including:

• Use of existing Digital Policing contracts (TTPi and Pegasus) to resource the project and procure laptops and desktop devices.

• Minimisation of risk of revenue budget increase through only issuing new devices in exchange for old devices and reclamation of desktops where used solely by those with a smarter working device.

• The issue of laptops by courier only to those who are formally shielding in line with COVID guidance, to a maximum of 25% of total laptops issued.

• Where feasible the redistribution of appropriately digitally sanitised devices for use by other organisations such as Schools, managed through the MPS or Greater London Authority existing commercial arrangements.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The use of technology to ‘Keep London Safe’ is a key strategic element. The MOPAC Police and Crime plan made a commitment to ‘ensure that the officers and staff of the MPS have the digital equipment they need to operate efficiently and effectively in modern London’.

1.2. The Met Direction requires Digital Policing (DP) to ‘seize the opportunities of data and digital technology’ whilst the DP strategy drives a move to ‘smarter and more productive ways of working’. The use of smarter working portable devices is also a key enabler for the MPS Property Strategy.

1.3. DP have significantly improved the ability of the MPS to work smarter, driving the change from 2500 laptops and 1000 tablets in November 2017 to 30,000 laptops and 14,000 tablets in November 2020.

1.4. The investment in smarter working has enabled the MPS to continue to keep London safe whilst reducing the risk of the COVID pandemic to the health and well-being of its workforce as well as supporting greater work life balance.

1.5. During COVID lockdown up to 15,000 officers and staff were working simultaneously using remote mobile devices during peak periods, with up to 30,000 individuals using collaborative technologies for online meetings, calls and messages each month.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The initial tranche of smarter working devices have now, or will soon, reach end of life and require refreshing to ensure continued performance and reliability for staff and officers. The upgrade of systems such as Command and Control also enables the replacement of older Windows 8.1 desktops with Windows 10 devices.

2.2. To ensure revenue costs are not affected users will only be given a new device where they handover their old device. Retired devices will be digitally sanitised and made available to recycle and reuse schemes, with the aim to use GLA schemes for this in support of the London Office of Technology Digital Inclusion Initiative.

2.3. Further information is contained in the restricted part of the report.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The project to refresh laptops and desktops will cost £14.7M of DP capital for procurement of new devices and project delivery costs such as resources and supplier service charges. This cost is funded in the approved Digital Policing Capital budget.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). Awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £189,330 or above must be procured in accordance with the Regulations. The goods and services that form this proposal will be procured in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

4.2. Section 4 of the restricted report identifies the approach to source the project. Each are confirmed to utilise existing MOPAC contracts as being compliant routes to market.

4.3. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve the procurement strategy for all revenue and capital contracts of a total value of £500,000 or above.

4.4. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 or above.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. The refresh of devices is within the services scope of the existing DP TTPi and Pegasus contracts and will be delivered through this route. The Pegasus contract is recently competed, offers equivalent or better value than other routes and there are efficiencies through one provider managing the service from order to delivery to end user. Commercial services will be engaged to ensure MPS obtain best value.

6. GDPR and Data Privacy

6.1. The MPS is subject to the requirements and conditions placed on it as a 'State' body to comply with the European Convention of Human Rights and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. Both legislative requirements place an obligation on the MPS to process personal data fairly and lawfully in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of individuals.

6.2. There are no new privacy issues created as this project will not introduce new, or alter any existing systems that have already had a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) as part of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

7. Equality Comments

7.1. As this is an extension of an existing service, this work does not change any aspects relating to equality or diversity.

7.2. The MPS’ existing Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessibility features will continue to function with the refreshed devices and the project will ensure AT and Accessibility tools are working for individuals as part of the refresh.

8. Background/supporting papers

8.1. Report.