MPS Integration Platform (MetIP) Enterprise Service Bus Upgrade

The MPS Integration Platform (MetIP) enables a number of systems to exchange information and handles millions of transaction messages a day in support of policing operations.

Funding of the original MetIP Upgrade business case was approved in March 2019 based on pre-procurement estimates. However, the changing technology landscape led to challenges to the original technical approach from bidders looking to deliver this work. Following bidder responses during the procurement process, the MPS architecture team undertook an internal review regarding the technological approach to the MetIP Upgrade. The results of this review led to a significant change in the technological approach, leading to a delay to the delivery timeline. The new technology approach, whilst a more flexible solution than that originally proposed, and simpler to support, costs more due to requirements for the MPS to procure additional ongoing licences and additional resources, thereby placing additional pressure on the revenue budget.

It was intended that delivery of the refreshed MetIP would be in time to prove it as a stable platform, ready to provide connectivity for the major programs of CONNECT and C&C. The delayed delivery of MetIP has meant risk mitigation is necessary for both CONNECT and C&C; this mitigation is to maintain the current platform for development and initial deployment of the new interfaces for these programs, and to subsequently migrate onto the refreshed MetIP2 platform once the new platform has proved stable and resilient.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve:

1. Progress with an alternative technical approach, as recommended by delivery partners and endorsed by the Met’s technical architecture team.

2. Spend of £3.1m in additional revenue costs over the next 5 years and £0.3m per annum from 2024/25 to deliver the new MetIP2 platform supporting the business critical CONNECT and C&C programs. The MPS have allocated funding through the core DP revenue budget.

3. Award of the delivery and support contract to Accenture (for a 3 year contract with optional extensions of 2 years and a further 1 year post-delivery). Accenture was identified from a competitive tender through the SPF framework, with a total contract value of £4m over 6 years.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The MPS' integrated platform (MetIP) Enterprise Service Bus provides the hardware, software and integration services for key MPS systems. It enables a number of systems to exchange information and handles millions of transaction messages a day in support of policing operations including:

• Police National Computer (PNC) searches

• Mobile applications including:

o In-vehicle Mobile Application (IVMA)

o Integrations for the Met’s personal Issue tablets to legacy systems such as CRIS and Merlin

• Internal interfaces for CONNECT

• Case management System (COPA)

• Support interfaces for:

o NSPIS Custody integration with Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) and National Footwear Database (NFD)

o iPortal

o CAD

• Interfaces, and integrations for the new Command and Control system due in 2021

• Police Educational Qualifications Framework (PEQF)

• Traffic Offences submissions to Home Office systems

• Case submissions to the Criminal Justice systems (Libra).

1.2. This MetIP Upgrade addresses unsupported software and aligns this core integration platform with updated Digital Policing enterprise architecture platform strategies, including the adoption of cloud and containerisation, and the use of Digital Policing Technical Design Authority standards for operating systems.

1.3. Funding of the original MetIP Upgrade business case was approved in March 2019. However, the changing technology landscape led to challenges to the original technical approach from bidders looking to deliver this work, which have led to a significant change in the technological approach and delay to the delivery timeline. The new technology approach, whilst a more flexible solution than that originally proposed, and simpler to support, does cost more in terms of ongoing subscription licences so places additional pressure on the revenue budget.

1.4. It was intended that delivery of the refreshed MetIP would be in time for it to prove itself as a stable platform, ready to provide connectivity for the major programs of CONNECT and C&C. The delayed delivery of MetIP has meant mitigation is necessary for both CONNECT and C&C; this mitigation is to maintain the current platform for development and initial deployment of the new interfaces for these programs, and to subsequently migrate onto the refreshed MetIP2 platform once the new platform has proved stable and resilient.

1.5. This means that both the current MetIP and the new MetIP2 platforms will be running in parallel for an estimated 24 month period, with a resultant unplanned additional demand on revenue to support this.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The delivery of this technology is a necessary step the Met needs to take to move towards the benefits of utilising Cloud hosted services:

• Simpler integration

• Lower cost of integration

• Lower cost of support

• Easier expansion to meet new demands.

2.2. Large technology programs such as CONNECT and C&C are dependent on integration with other IT services provisioned by Met systems and by external partners. There is a growing demand for more interfaces and the cost and complexity of each integration is becoming greater as the current technology gets more out of date. That additional cost will also be reflected in the cost of supporting these integrations.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. This case seeks approval to spend an additional £3.1M over the next five years ((£0.3M/pa thereafter) to deliver the MetIP upgrade, over and above the £4M Capital approved on the basis of the original business case. The MPS have allocated funding through the core DP revenue budget. The original business case approved additional ongoing revenue costs estimated at £181k p.a. to be met from DP savings.

4. Legal Comments

Solution Provider Framework

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”). All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £189,330 or above shall be procured in accordance with the Regulations. The Business Justification for the MetIP Enterprise Service Bus Upgrade Project (“Business Justification”) confirms the value of the proposed contract exceeds this threshold.

4.2. The Business Justification confirms the MOPAC’s compliantly procured Solution Provider Framework Agreement (“SPF”) was used to procure the proposed contract. Use of the SPF for this requirement shall be compliant where: (1) the technical and financial scope of the requirement are within that of the SPF, (2) the SPF’s procurement processes are followed. This report confirms both points are met.

4.3. Paragraph 7.23 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Director of Strategic Procurement has consent for the approval of the award of all contracts, with the exception of those called in through the agreed call in procedure. Paragraph 4.14 of the Scheme provides the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime reserves the right to call in any MPS proposal to award a contract for £500,000 or above.

Moving from Option 4 to Option 5

4.4. MPS issued an invitation to tender (ITT) for the MetIP Upgrade on 5th June 2020, setting out technical requirements based on ‘Option 4’ as described in the initial business case approved in March 2019. Following the bidder responses to the ITT during the Clarification Questions period of the procurement, it became evident that the bidders faced certain technological challenges to meet MPS’ requirements if Option 4 was pursued, and, consequently, this would impact MPS’ intended delivery timeframes and the quality and feasibility of the technology solutions that may have been proposed by the bidders based on Option 4.

4.5. Following bidder responses, the MPS architecture team undertook an internal review regarding the technological approach to the MetIP Upgrade, resulting in the decision to adopt ‘Option 5’ from the initial business case instead of ‘Option 4’.

4.6. As part of this decision, the MPS took legal advice to minimise and mitigate the risk of any non-compliance with the Regulations as a result of this change of requirements during the ongoing SPF procurement process for the MetIP Upgrade. Accordingly, the MPS re-issued the ITT (27th July 2020), setting out its requirements for ‘Option 5’ and provided additional time for the bidders to review and respond to the revised ITT. It is legal’s view that the legal advice was followed, and that the above action fully addressed the identified risks. Ultimately, the risks that were identified were mitigated to an acceptable level, and thus the MPS was content to proceed.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. In order to deliver these objectives within the required timeframes, the skills and capabilities provided by the Suppliers on the Solution Provider Framework (SPF) are being used. The SPF is a compliant route for this type of engagement.

5.2. The total contract value as per Accenture (UK) Ltd (the Preferred Bidder) response is £3,823,210 (assuming the engagement is extended for the full 6 years). This figure includes implementation costs of £1,321,382.

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. Under Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Section 57 of the DPA 2018, Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) become mandatory for organisations with technologies and processes that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights of the data subjects.

6.3. The Information Assurance and Information Rights units within MPS will be consulted at all stages to ensure the project meets its compliance requirements.

6.4. The project is a like for like replacement of an existing system which has been assessed for GDPR compliance. All existing and new services that use this platform will also have their own DPIA assessment, so there are no current GDPR issues to be considered. If the project uses personally identifiable data of members of the public at a later date DPIAs will be completed as needed. If the project uses personally identifiable data of members of the public at a later date DPIAs will be completed as needed.

7. Equality Comments

7.1. The Met’s Strategic, Diversity and Inclusion team are mandatory contacts prior to submission and were appropriately consulted. No equality or diversity issues have been identified.

8. Background/supporting papers

8.1. Decision PCD 538 in March 2019 approved the original MetIP Upgrade business case.