DMFD42 Replacement of Wireless (wifi) Access Points

The London Fire Brigade’s (the “Brigade”) network infrastructure includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) environment which was initially installed in 2007 when the organisation moved to the headquarters in Union Street. Following the installation at Union Street, a subsequent project extended the wireless capabilities (wifi) to all other Brigade premises.

The network infrastructure itself is a combination of Wide Area Network (WAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) topologies. The WAN has a total of 103 remote sites and the MAN consists of four main sites connected via 10 Gigabyte (GB) BT circuits and one with 1GB connection.

This infrastructure provides facilities for staff, visitors and partner agencies to access wifi in any Brigade building. Without access to wifi, the ability of some staff to work in an agile manner (i.e. at different Brigade locations using tablets or other devices) would be significantly reduced. In replacing the WLAN infrastructure, the intention is to provide easier wifi access for staff (via an automatic logon of authorised devices when entering a building), and simpler visitor use of wifi via published login details, for example, in meeting rooms.

This report seeks the approval of the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience for the expenditure of up to £853,000 for the replacement of wireless access points across the Brigade’s estate.

To ensure that the Brigade is able to offer a scalable and reliable service into the future, the entire wireless access point estate now needs to be replaced. This will involve the decommissioning of existing and installation of new wireless access points (532 in total) at 107 Brigade sites.

The Brigade network infrastructure is built around Cisco hardware/software. Therefore, in replacing the access points, it is essential that compatibility with the existing Cisco deployed infrastructure is maintained. Changing from Cisco hardware/software would represent significant additional expenditure for the Brigade requiring a complete replacement of the network infrastructure and would divert staff resources needed for other projects. As such the procured devices must be manufactured by Cisco.

The wireless access points will be installed throughout the Brigade in both station and office locations. It is therefore essential that we take deployment environment considerations into account when selecting the particular Cisco model to be deployed. Currently, wifi access points at stations are within a rugged metal enclosure that is designed to prevent accidental damage from a variety of station-based activities. Wifi access points in office locations have no such requirement and are more aesthetically designed.

An exercise to visit 107 Brigade sites to remove legacy equipment, install and test new equipment, is substantial and cannot be resourced from within existing ICT staffing resources. It is the intention, as part of this procurement, for a contractor to provide the following services:

• Site surveys (where appropriate, to determine optimum location of equipment) at office sites only. Deployment to stations will be in their existing locations.
• Removal and disposal of legacy equipment in accordance with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive.
• Installation / configuration / testing of new wireless access points at 107 Brigade sites.
• Professional services to support the migration from the present backend system to the new solution.
• Project management (includes all above activities).
• User acceptance testing / handover / documentation.
• Ongoing support of delivered solution (if not separately covered by Cisco agreements).
• To work with the Brigade ICT network team, as necessary, to optimise the wifi solution.

GovWifi

The updating of the Brigade’s WLAN infrastructure will allow deployment of GovWifi at Brigade premises. GovWifi is a system that is now widely available across the public sector which allows staff and visitors to use a single user login to connect to guest wifi across multiple GovWifi locations that support access to this service.

At recent collaboration board meeting a request was made by the Mayor’s Chief of Staff to the Greater London Authority (GLA) group bodies to offer this service. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) already has this capability and the LFB’s WLAN refresh provides an opportunity for the Brigade to offer the same functionality.

The Public Sector Equality Duty and the potential impacts of this decision on those with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, sex, religion or belief, sexual orientation) has been considered by the London Fire Commissioner and the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience at the Fire and Resilience Board on 24 September 2019.

The duty requires the London Fire Commissioner to have regard to the need to:

a. eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other behaviour prohibited by the Act.
b. advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and
c. foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not including tackling prejudice and promoting understanding.

The Act states that ‘marriage and civil partnership’ is not a relevant protected characteristic for (b) or (c) although it is relevant for (a).

An equalities impact assessment (EIA) has been carried out in respect the proposal to update the WLAN access points. The EIA concludes that the change will not have a disproportionately adverse effect on any persons with a particular characteristic due to no change in process nor availability of appropriate equipment. The WLAN access points will be updated providing a modern, resilient wifi capacity that will benefit staff and visitors via increased coverage within Brigade buildings.

The London Fire Commissioner has considered the proposals and the duty under the Act to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Procurement

It was not possible to fully establish the likely cost resulting from this tendering exercise in advance. However, estimates from market research based on commonly available hardware list prices and project management costs from previous projects, indicated that the project would cost around £853,000 (subject to inflation). The outcome of the tender exercise is within that estimate. All expenditure is intended to fall in 2019/20, however this is not guaranteed.

​​​​​​​The Director of Corporate Services initiated the tendering process for replacement wifi access points (under the delegated authority granted to her) and the procurement exercise is being carried out by staff from the ICT and Procurement departments of the Brigade.

​​​​​​​There is currently no suitable Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework available for use as it has recently expired, and the replacement framework is yet to be awarded.

​​​​​​​A mini competition was conducted under the Health Trust Europe (HTE) Information Communication Technology (ICT) Solutions Framework, Lot 1 (IT Hardware) however no compliant bids were received.

​​​​​​​Therefore, the procurement is being carried out using the Pan-London ICT Framework (Lot 4), which was tendered by the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea on behalf of the London Public Sector. The aim of the framework is to deliver best value to London’s public sector through a catalogue price structure, faster cost-effective procurement process and flexibility. The framework offers a catalogue of services by BT which is supported by a number of the market leading IT/Communications vendors. This framework has offered an alternative route to market when there has not been a collaborative opportunity available via the GLA, or a suitable CCS framework. The framework also allows for a tender exercise to be carried out. Formal benchmarking is regularly carried out by an external company against a minimum of eight top quartile peers and an overall ‘value for money’ rating has been awarded.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​An Invitation to participate was published on 15 July 2019. The evaluation is based on the method statement and tender response. The evaluation consists of a number of mandatory pass / fail criteria. The price element is weighted at 25 per cent, the quality element is weighted at 45 per cent, and the technical element is weighted at 30 per cent. Each section also contains sub-criteria (please see the table below). The evaluation has been developed jointly by staff from ICT and Procurement utilising commercial knowledge of this sector and the importance of various elements to the overall success of the project.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The tender submitted by BT is compliant and the evaluation indicates that the pricing submitted is within the budget set aside for the project by the Brigade. Officers are able to confirm that the pricing submitted is competitive and within the expected range for the services required and accords with up-to-date market research.

Collaboration

​​​​​​​In 2018, the Brigade explored the possibility of collaborating with the London Ambulance Service (LAS), who had similar requirements at the time. However, the LAS timescales were significantly ahead of the Brigade as there were higher ICT priorities to address at the time.

​​​​​​​Details of the proposed procurement have been shared via the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) ICT Managers group to all fire and rescue services. No collaboration partners have been identified at this time.

​​​​​​​In respect of the GovWifi installation, colleagues at the Metropolitan Police Service have already installed this capability and have offered to provide assistance to the Brigade.

Sustainability

​​​​​​​The procurement activity for the WLAN hardware and the associated technologies described in this report, will need to be undertaken in line with the GLA Group Responsible Procurement policy. The Brigade has recently become an affiliate of Electronics Watch, which requires the inclusion of additional terms and conditions for contract.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​These terms and conditions aim to improve the transparency of the supply chain and management of any non-compliance with labour standards identified with the support of Electronics Watch. Where hardware replacement of considerable value forms part of the requirement for any of the options proposed, additional terms covering ethical sourcing will need to be included in the tender or re-negotiation. HTE and the Pan London ICT Framework do not currently include Electronics Watch terms and conditions within their frameworks as they are not an affiliate member, however we will seek to include this in the special terms and conditions for consideration by the tenderers.

Report LFC-0233y to the London Fire Commissioner recommends that delegated authority is given to approve total project expenditure of up to £853,000 for the replacement of wifi infrastructure.

There is a capital budget of £853k in 2019/20 within the existing capital programme for this project. If the project were to be funded by external borrowing, the annual debt charge would be £185k, being an annual interest charge of £15k per annum, based on an interest rate of 1.7 per cent and an annual debt repayment of £170k, based on a five-year life. The funding for the procurement is to be met from within the London Fire Commissioner’s existing budgets and no further funding is sought from the Greater London Authority.

Under section 9 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017, the London Fire Commissioner (the "Commissioner") is established as a corporation sole with the Mayor appointing the occupant of that office. Under section 327D of the GLA Act 1999, as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2017, the Mayor may issue to the Commissioner specific or general directions as to the manner in which the holder of that office is to exercise his or her functions.

Paragraph (b) of Part 2 of the said direction requires the Commissioner to seek the prior approval of the Deputy Mayor before “[a] commitment to expenditure (capital or revenue) of £150,000 or above as identified in accordance with normal accounting practices…”.

The Deputy Mayor's approval for the expenditure of up to £853,000 is accordingly required for the Commissioner to award a contract for the replacement of the Brigade’s wifi infrastructure to the successful bidder.

The statutory basis for the actions proposed in this report is provided by section 5A of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, under which the London Fire Commissioner, being a ‘relevant authority’, may do ‘anything it considers appropriate for the purposes of the carrying out of any of its functions.

The London Fire Commissioner’s General Counsel also notes that the procurement route followed for the replacement of the Brigade’s wifi infrastructure was in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea have conducted a compliant OJEU procurement in accordance with section 33 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to set up the Pan London ICT Framework, from which the Commissioner is able to make a compliant call-off.

In taking the decisions requested, the Deputy Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Deputy Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.