PCD 1639 Met Business Services (MBS) Implementation and SSCL Proposed Extension

PCD 1639 Met Business Services (MBS) Implementation and SSCL Proposed Extension

This paper seeks approval for a change in approach for the re-provision of the business support services arrangements, an extension to the current Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL) contract, and funding to progress both improvements to current processes and a re-procurement programme. The cost of the improvements and re-procurement programmes for 2024/25 is £6,986,000 which will be funded from within the existing budget. The cost of the extension will be funded from within existing MPS budgets. MPS also seek approval for retrospective funding of £5,600,000 for the cost of the activities in progressing the programme during 2023/24. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve to extend the current SSCL Services by an additional two years to September 2027. 

2. Approval for £4,022,000 of funds to deliver MBS transformation, continuing the implementation of Met Business Services (formerly MSS) delivering NMfL and driving end-to-end process transformation, including improving end user experience and improved integrity of corporate data; 

3. Approval for £1,712,000 to enhance MBS run capabilities – data integrity team alongside ongoing data cleanse (a key enabler for Resourcing the Met), service improvement, service management, supplier assurance, reporting teams; 

4. Approval for £1,234,000 of funds for additional commercial activity – the activities are outlined in the Part 2 report. 

5. Retrospective approval of £5,600,000 of funds for FY23/24 work already provided for in centrally held reserves. 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background  

1. In January 2023 MOPAC approved the MPS proposed way forward for the future of then called Met Shared Services (MSS) – PCD1357.  This envisaged the parallel running of a series of business process improvements whilst at the same time re-procuring the service. 

2. The programme is now called Met Business Services (MBS). This paper seeks approval for a change to the proposed way forward – including a contract extension and investments to improve business processes and to re-procure the service. 

2. Issues for consideration 

1. Since January 2023 engagement with the market and reflecting on the Casey Review has identified that there is limited capacity in the market for such a complex procurement and the limited expertise needed for the programme, the proposal was very time ambitious, there were risks with the parallel running approach, there is already existing significant IT systems implementation across the MPS, and the need to consider the requirements to address the Casey recommendations. 

2. The new proposal is that the existing contract with SSCL for the provision of shared services is extended by 2 years from September 2025 to September 2027. As a result of providing a further 2 years the MPS has negotiated a number of benefits – these are set out in the restricted section of this report. 

3. The work needed to improve business processes, which should make the requirements more attractive to the market and be more cost effective for MPS, will include simplified workflows and improved end-user experience. 

4. The preparation for the re-procurement will involve options for collaboration on services with the broader Greater London Authority (GLA), and options to change the operating model, including insourcing of activities into the new MBS entity, which were not available in the original outsourcing in 2015. 

5. MPS state that “MBS will support NMfL in “fixing the foundations through delivery of: 

• Integrated, sensible end-to-end services, simplified workflows and improved end-user experience, freeing up staff and frontline officers to focus on their job 

• Improved Corporate Data Integrity, a key enabler for Resourcing the Met: the programme will improve the overall quality of our data in HR, Finance and Commercial 

• Enhanced MBS Capabilities to drive value-for-money, such as supplier assurance, service and continuous improvement and end-to-end service management.” 

3. Financial Comments  

1. The estimated costs for 2024/25 for the work to improve business processes and enhance the MBS business as usual (BAU) capabilities is £5,734,000.  The estimated cost of starting market engagement and running the system integrator (SI) and business process services (BPS) procurement for 2024/25 is £1,234,000.  These costs, £6,986,000 in total for 2024/25, will be funded from the approved New Met for London investment budget. 

2. The cost of the proposed two-year contract extension is set out in the restricted part of this report and will be funded from within the existing budget. 

3. The financial benefits of the re-negotiated contract for the two-year extension are set out in the restricted section of the report. 

4. The MPS also seek retrospective approval for the funding of activity carried out during 2023/24 of £5,600,000 which is funded from the centrally held reserve. 

5. The detail of the above and the longer term estimated costs and benefits of the MBS programme is set out in the restricted section of the report. 

4. Legal Comments 

1. In respect of the contract extension with SSCL the MPS Directorate of Legal Services assures that regulation 32 permits MOPAC to use the Negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice to negotiate with, and subsequently award a contract to, a sole economic operator in a limited number of cases.  Specifically, 32(1)(b)(iii) provides this procedure is permitted where the services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator due to the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights.  This report confirms this condition is met. 

2. The MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (“DMPC”) has delegated authority to approve:  

• Business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 and above (paragraph 4.8); and 

• In the case a new contract is awarded without competition under regulation 32, all contracts exemptions valued at £100,000 or above (paragraph 4.13)  

5. Commercial Issues  

1. The MPS assure that a contract extension of two years will provide sufficient time to run a fully compliant procurement process, build the system and migrate the services in the remaining contract timescale: the extension allows the MPS to make some upgrades, whilst reducing risk and securing some cost reductions from SSCL. 

2. Further detail of the commercial aspects are included in the restricted part of this report. 

6. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

2. The MPS assure that an initial Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) has been completed which concluded that a full DPIA should only be initiated once the decision taken on market engagement and initial requirement gatherings for the new systems was underway, which would better inform the responses to the full DPIA screening questions. 

3. The programme will ensure a privacy by design approach, which will allow the MPS to find and fix problems at the early stages of any project, ensuring compliance with GDPR. 

7. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. The MPS assure that there are no equality or diversity implications arising from the proposals in this paper. 

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 MPS Report - MBS Request for FY24/25 Funding & SSCL Services Extension