Digital Asset Management Services Business Justification

The MPS receives, creates and stores large volumes of data in a wide variety of formats. The MPS needs a digital asset management platform to store its data and ensure that documents and media can be shared both internally and externally with trusted partners. The MPS initially used Box as a Digital Asset Management Services (DAMS) tool in a proof of concept in 2016. The product was subsequently procured through G-Cloud, initially in July 2017, then again in June 2019, each time on a 2 year contract. The MPS is seeking to procure a further one-year contract with Box (with option for a one-year extension). The request is for IAM approval for the first year of the contract award at a cost of £3,329,280. Any extension would require further approval through IAM.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve a further one-year contract with Box via a direct award through G-Cloud 12, at a cost for the first year of £3,329,280 for Digital Asset Management Services, fully funded in the DP (Digital Policing) MOPAC approved revenue budget. The contract will have an optional one-year extension which will require further approval through IAM if it needs to be taken up.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The MPS receives, creates and stores large volumes of data in a wide variety of formats. The MPS needs a digital asset management platform to store its data and ensure that documents and media can be shared both internally and externally with trusted partners.

1.2. The MPS currently has over 48,000 internal users of its Box service and over 8,000 external users. The contract with Box is due to expire in June 2021. This service remains critical to how the MPS manage and share information both internally and externally, so a further contract with Box is required.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. This information is contained in the restricted section of the report.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The request is for a further one-year contract with Box at a cost for the first year of £3,329,280 for Digital Asset Management Services fully funded in the DP (Digital Policing) MOPAC approved revenue budget. The contract will have an optional one-year extension which will require further approval through IAM if it needs to be taken up.

4. Legal Comments

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. This report confirms the value of the proposed contract exceeds this threshold.

4.2. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime has delegated authority to approve business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 and above.

4.3. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime has delegated authority to approve the procurement strategy for all revenue and capital contracts of a total value of 500,000 or above.

4.4. 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. 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.

4.5. MPS Legal Services have reviewed this request and confirmed that the use of G-Cloud 12 is compliant with procurement regulations.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. The total contract value is £6,658,560 for the full two years, if the extension is taken up, and the service will be procured through G-Cloud 12. Further information is contained in the restricted section of the report. As a renewal to an existing service this work does not change any aspects relating to responsible procurement.

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 continue to be consulted at all stages to ensure the MPS use of Box meets its compliance requirements.

6.4. A DPIA has been completed for the MPS use of Box in 2020. The MPS continue to ensure a privacy by design approach, which will allow the MPS to find and fix problems at the early stages of any new use of Box, ensuring compliance with GDPR. DPIAs support the accountability principle, as they will ensure the MPS complies with the requirements of GDPR and they demonstrate that appropriate measures have been taken to ensure compliance.

7. Equality Comments

7.1. As this is a renewal of an existing service this work does not change any aspects relating to equality or diversity.

8. Background/supporting papers

8.1. Report.