PCD 1748 NPCC Police Digital Service (PDS) Contract

This paper seeks approval to award a contract for the supply of digital services to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and National Police Co-ordination Centre (NPoCC) by Police Digital Services for a three year term at a cost of up to £2,800,000.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the renewal of the contract with Police Digital Services, with a maximum value of £2,800,000 over a three-year period, including provisions for early termination with appropriate notice. 

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

1. Introduction and background  

1. MOPAC hosts the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the National Police Co-Ordination Centre (NPoCC).  

2. Issues for consideration 

1. The current provision of digital services to NPCC/NPoCC is from the Police Digital Services (PDS) – a private company, limited by guarantee and owned by Police and Crime Commissioners on behalf of policing.  The existing contract expired in 31 January 2024. PDS is currently providing the services at risk. 

2. Due to the relocation of the NPCC/NPoCC the planned re-procurement of the services was delayed from Q3 2023.  The work to procure the continued provision of this service was delayed by changes in the supply chain of PDS, proposed increases in costs, and the need to obtain legal and commercial advice. 

3. Further detail is set out in the restricted section of this paper. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. The NPCC have assured that the estimated contract cost of up to £2,800,000 over the three years is funded from within NPCC/NPoCC budgets. 

4. Legal Comments 

1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (“MOPAC”) is the contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (“the Regulations”).  All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £214,904 or above shall be procured in accordance with the Regulations.  

2. Regulation 12(4) of the regulations provides a contracting authority does not have to comply with the advertising and competitive procedure requirements under the Regulations where the proposed public contract is awarded to an entity that the contracting authority owns (or jointly owns with other contracting authorities). This report confirms the conditions above are met.  On that basis regulation 12 shall apply and the proposed contract may be awarded lawfully. 

3. 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); 

• All requests to go out to tender for contracts of £500,000 or above, or where there is a particular public interest (paragraph 4.13); and 

• All contract exemptions for £100,000 or above 

4. Paragraph 7.23 of the Scheme provides that the Director of Commercial Services 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 DMPC reserves the right to call in any MPS proposal to award a contract for £500,000 or above. 

5. Commercial Comments 

1. This procurement seeks the provision of a range of digital services including digital support services, software, infrastructure and licencing. 

2. The proposed contract is for a 3-year term from January 2024 (when the previous contract expired) until December 2026.  The route to market is via a single tender action.  There are optional early termination arrangements after the first 12-months of the agreement.  

3. The procurement is compliant as per the Public Contract Regulations 2015 responsible procurement and social value requirements. 

4. During the term of the proposed contract until December 2026 NPCC/NPoCC will further develop their understanding of future requirements to conduct broader market testing for a formal procurement.  

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 NPCC assure that the project will ensure a privacy by design approach, which will allow the NPCC and NPoCC to find and fix problems at the early stages of any project, ensuring compliance with UK 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 NPCC assure that as this is an extension of an existing service, this work does not change any aspects relating to equality or diversity. However, both in the contract and through the life of delivery, equality implications will be considered and implemented. 

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 NPCC Report – NPCC ICT Support Services Business Justification