PCD 1703 Vetting Transformation

As part of the MPS Professionalism transformation agenda and addressing the Casey and Angiolini reviews this paper sets out proposed change and investment in the MPS vetting arrangements.  Over a 5 year term there is proposed investment of c£6,400,000 in respect of procuring, implementing and operating a new case management system, a credit/address check service and extending the Vetting Transformation project team to implement these and other improvements. The cost is being funded from a combination of existing budgets and the New Met for London (NMfL) budget. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve initiation of procurement action and award for a new Vetting Case Management Software as a Service (SaaS) solution with associated initial project revenue spend of circa £233,000 in 2024/25 and £778,000 in 2025/26.  

2. Initiation of procurement action and award for a contract for an upgraded automated Credit/Address Check SaaS solution with associated initial project revenue spend of circa £300,000, with licence/hosting/support costs of £35,000 during 2024/25 (partial Yr1 costs for Q4), and ongoing varying revenue spend of up to £140,000 per annum from FY2025/26 – FY2028/29.  

3. Note use of Delivery Partner to supply Vetting Transformation project team to February / March 2026.  

4. The release of additional NMfL funding of £2.306m in future years, the NMFL schedule has been reprioritised and re-sequenced as approved at Management board to include funding for vetting.   

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

1. Introduction and background  

1. The acknowledged weaknesses in the MPS vetting system have been identified via both external sources – Baroness Casey Review, the Angiolini inquiry, and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) – and internally from MPS reviews of the vetting process and its case management system. 

2. This paper seeks approval for investment in a change programme and updates of the software systems. 

2. Issues for consideration 

1. The MPS acknowledge that the wholesale transformation of vetting is essential to aid in restoring public trust by ensuring only the right people are recruited, and that all police officers and staff who do not act in accordance with MPS professional standards are removed from the organisation. 

2. The MPS ambition is that its “vetting function must be exceptional in quality of outcomes, integrity and service delivery; affording the Met an opportunity to deliver this service nationally in a cost-effective manner, with a potential to income generate for the benefit of Londoners and wider stakeholders.” 

3. The MPS identify 2 key shifts to deliver improved vetting – a continuous integrity culture where vetting becomes an ongoing proactive assurance approach with continuous responsibility on both individual and the organisation to maintain professionalism, and efficiency through digitisation.  The proposed change in vetting systems and processes will release existing capacity from within the vetting unt and the MPS propose that this capacity is re-directed to deliver the ‘continuous integrity’ activity. 

4. The MPS expect that the benefits will include improved applicant and sponsor experience; reduction in crime and misconduct committed by MPS officers and staff; shorter vetting times; improved management information, and ability to collaborate nationally. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. The budget requirements for this work over the 5-year period 2024/25 to 2028/29 includes a replacement case management system, credit/address check software and the extension of the vetting transformation project team, in addition there is third party and internal costs. The total estimated cost is c£6,400,000.  Further detail is included in the restricted section of the paper. 

2. The MPS assure that the estimated costs will be funded from within existing budgets and the New Met for London (NMfL) budget.  

4. Legal Comments 

1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime 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 £213,477 (inclusive of VAT) or above will be procured in accordance with the Regulations. 

2. The MPS Directorate of Legal Services assure that the proposed procurements are compliant with Public Contract Regulations. 

3. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime delegated authority to approve all requests to go out to tender for contracts valued at £500,000 or above. 

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. Paragraph 7.23 of the Scheme 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.   

5. Commercial Issues  

1. The proposal seeks the procurement of a case management system, a credit/address check software as a service, and the continued engagement of the vetting transformation project team until March 2026. 

2. The routes to market are for the  

• Case management system and credit/address check system - an award via a compliant public sector framework to a value-added reseller with subcontractor providing the service 

• Award via the existing compliant Transformation delivery partner contract to ensure alignment with NMfL. 

3. The case management and credit check services will be for an initial term of 4 years with an optional 12-month extension. The vetting project team contract will be for the term to March 2026.   

4. The MPS assure that as part of the tendering process, all suppliers will be subject to the successful completion of the Social Value documentation. This will be weighted at 10%, evaluated, moderated and monitored throughout the life of the contract to ensure their Social Value and sustainability commitments are adhered to after contract go lives. 

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 a DPIA has been completed for the Vetting function and will be updated for each new software procured. The project 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. The Information Assurance and Information Rights units within MPS will be consulted at all stages to ensure the project meets its compliance requirements. 

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 Equality Impact Assessments will be completed for all new software and automations as part of the procurement and implementation phases of this project.    In relation to the Credit and Address check software, the Invitation to Tender (ITT) process will assess the tools and techniques used by vendors and rigorous testing of the outputs.   

3. During the tender process, MPS will aim to select a software solution that supports and is compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 or above). 

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 MPS Report - Vetting Transformation