Description of lifecycle stage –

This first stage is initiated by the problem owner based on a defined need for procuring a new system, to satisfy specific objectives.

Based on this this initial problem definition the scope and high-level requirements will be defined. At this stage, similar authorities’ case studies can help the problem owner identify if other authorities are faced with the same problem, and how they tried to address it. In particular, how they scoped it and defined their high-level requirements.

Considerations for Stage 1

During this stage, authorities should consider developing an initial problem definition, defining the scope and the high-level requirements. This could include:

• Confirm policy goals and objectives to be achieved
• Use policy goals and objectives to identify relevant use cases.
• Carry out a high-level assessment of what existing systems, assets and services are affected by the proposed system and the resulting impacts. This includes:
  • Those replaced by the proposed system
  • The required and/or desirable Interfaces
• Carry out a gap analysis to confirm what needs to be implemented to deliver the requirements, using the Smart Streets use cases as a reference where appropriate
• Engage with the procurement team to commence the development of a procurement strategy, including the activities for stage 2, set out below
• Start the project management process, using appropriate methods to work within the authority’s governance structures. For example, this could include identifying a senior responsible officer setting up a project board with suitable representatives to provide challenge, and commencing the project risk and issue register.

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Description of lifecycle stage –

The objective of this stage is to analyse the market and understand the type of organisations able to fulfil the defined high-level requirements. There is likely to be a range of solutions to the defined problem or no existing solutions in the market. Therefore, Stage 2 could be done through a combination of research and/or pre-procurement market tests and engagement.

Market testing activities must be conducted in accordance with procurement regulations and organisational policies. These often allow greater scope of market engagement during pre-procurement planning stage, than after initiation of formal procurement process; hence it is important to plan and conduct market testing accordingly and set out the approach in the procurement strategy.

Considerations for Stage 2

There may be a range of solutions with different characteristics and levels of maturity. Therefore, it is important to:

• Analyse the market to identify possible service providers and assess whether there is a suitable solution ‘off the shelf’ to meet high-level requirements or whether the solution will need to be more of a development project.
• Re-engage with the procurement team to update the procurement strategy, recognising the type of implementation approach to be followed. For example, a competitive dialogue approach allows for bidders to develop alternative proposals in response to your outline requirements. The aims are to increase value by encouraging innovation and to maintain competitive pressure in bidding for complex contracts.

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Description of lifecycle stage –

The objective of this stage is to ensure that the proposed system aligns with existing strategy goals and to maximise the potential of the proposed system deliver improvements and/or develop strategies.

Technology-driven solutions or services often have the potential to deliver transformative changes. It is therefore important to identify the impact of the proposals on the wider objectives of a specific department or the authority as a whole. This includes an understanding of the impact external organisation(s), such as suppliers, and internal resources has on the overall process.

Considerations for Stage 3

• Identify and evaluate the transformation delivered by the proposals. Update and expand the initial high-level understanding of the existing systems and operations developed in Stage 1, to encompass the full scope of change delivered and required.
• Define a high-level view of how the systems and services should operate following the delivery of the project, to support the specification of the desired system. It is important for this specification to be defining the boundary of the service and interfaces of existing system and services that are to be retained. The use case guides will be a reference guide for this activity, but it is important to think through the information and data flows specific to your authority
• Consider where the transformation of the service will have knock on effects within the authority, and additional change management activity may be required to deliver the full benefits
• Engage with the project board and others within the authority to confirm that the necessary policies are in place, thinking about data governance, security, operational organisation.

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Description of lifecycle stage –

The functional requirements and detailed requirements need developing at this stage for the solution to be procured. The detailed requirements should clearly, accurately, and completely describe in detail what the authority wants the successful bidder to supply. This stage is usually conducted in collaboration between the problem owner and the authority’s procurement team.

In the case of technology-driven procurement exercises, the requirements should take into consideration the industry standards being utilised in devising the solution, again using the appropriate use case as guidance on the key standards to apply. Deploying standardised technologies bring a wide range of benefits including:

A. Economies of scale which potentially drives down costs;
B. Interoperability at the technology system/components levels and ease of interchangeability of products;
C. Mitigation against vendor lock-in; and
D. Interoperability at the data level.

We intend to develop this manual over time to incorporate knowledge and lessons learnt from previous authority projects. The use cases will help authorities understand the standards adopted in relevant solutions procured by other authorities and draw upon their body of knowledge. This will also help the authority’s procurement team to ensure a common approach throughout the authority in relation to aspects such as data standards and formats, interoperability with existing systems and services, and issues related to vendor lock-in.

Considerations for Stage 4

• Understand inputs, outputs, and any operational requirements such as speed of response. The Use Case Guides should help here, but remember that the interfaces to authority’s existing components of a service are being retained, using the ‘as-is’.
• Do not address design of the system/service. Make it clear that is the responsibility of the service provider to provide the outputs you define.
• Address the essential non-functional requirements including accessibility (for example, refer to the GDS service design manual), security and data governance.
• Document any service transition requirements, if existing services are to be taken over or decommissioned.
• Consider the whole life operation and end of life requirements including data ownership and how data should be transferred back to the authority from the service provider or on to a subsequent service provider at the end of the contract

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Description of lifecycle stage –

Procurement is the process of purchasing goods or services. There are many different routes by which the design and implementation of a system can be procured, and there are many sources of guidance as well as specialists within the authority. The selected route should follow a strategy which fits the long-term objectives of the authority’s business plan.

Considerations for Stage 5

• Confirm the approach to procurement, and update the procurement strategy from Stage 1
• Aspects that the procurement strategy should address are likely to include:
  • The authority procurement and governance requirements
  • Speed;
  • Cost;
  • Quality;
  • Specific project constraints;
  • Risk;
  • Asset ownership; and
  • Financing

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Description of lifecycle stage –

The details of the approach at this stage will depend on the agreed procurement strategy.
Conducting a Request for Information (RFI) at this stage will bring insights into suppliers’ size, capabilities, financials, strengths and weaknesses before assessing whether they should be included in the tender process. This will help understand the potential suppliers and inform the approach on invitation to participate in the tender process. Issuing the Invitation to Tender (ITT) is the subsequent step where suppliers submit their response to the defined requirements.

Considerations for lifecycle stage

• This stage of activity will be carried out through close working with the procurement and legal team
• A critical area is the development of the assessment criteria for tender evaluation for agreement before initiating the tender

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Description of lifecycle stage –

Once the tenders are submitted, bids must be evaluated and validated to select the preferred supplier. A structured, disciplined and transparent approach is required, with collaboration between the procurement and technical teams. Most evaluations explore price comparisons alongside technical capability, capacity, quality of service and financial health.

Considerations for Stage 7

An assessment approach should identify the tender that best meets the authority’s needs and offers the best value for money over the life of the project. Authorities should consider the following in their assessment process:

• Tender assessment criteria should be objective, and a scoring approach agreed including agreement on the price / quality ratio to be used in the final assessment
• A tender assessment team should be in place with a clear briefing on how to carry out the evaluation and the processes to follow

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Description of lifecycle stage –

Once the supplier is selected, a contract is awarded which allows both parties to fully understand their obligations and key success criteria as part of the agreement. This forms the foundation to manage the contract and relationship effectively. The agreed terms and conditions help to minimise contractual risks and exposure.

Considerations for Stage 8

This stage will be undertaken working in close cooperation with the procurement and legal team.

The approach needs to address the specific requirements of the authority’s governance processes, and these should be identified in the procurement strategy.

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Description of lifecycle stage –

Once the contract and terms are agreed, the implementation and operation stage commences. As part of this stage, there should be periodic reviews of performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) set out in the contract along with discussions on how the relationship is working and resolve any conflicts that may have arisen. At this stage discussions and plans can be set for continuous improvement. Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) is an important part of this stage as it helps to create the right relationship and environment in which to work on new developments and evaluate the option of streamlining processes.

Considerations for Stage 9

• Key Performance Indicators and measures of success
• Implementation and delivery milestones with associated timescales

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Description of lifecycle stage –

The prior steps of the lifecycle need to define and plan for the lifespan of the system and its decommissioning to:

• Plan the lifetime servicing and maintenance costs
• Define review processes, these may be linked to the milestones defined in the operation stage.
• Plan and implement decommissioning activities, ensuring the safe and effective migration and/or removal of systems and data as appropriate
• Optimise personnel and other resources
• Initiate preparatory activities for the implementation of successor systems in a planned, timely and cost-effective manner

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The Use Cases have been produced by considering key transport functions and the interactions with the users of that function. The target user is likely to the be the traveller, using the services. However, whilst some interfaces to the traveller may be delivered directly, for example by setting a traffic signal to red, increasingly services will be delivered by providing data through interfaces to other service providers such as navigation service providers.

Historically, traffic management has focussed on providing relatively direct control of road users via traffic signals and signs. However, the trend is shifting to an increased strategic influence of road user behaviour via connected services. This shift provides significant opportunities to achieve various policy objectives, however, implementing these connected services requires the adoption of a connected systems approach by authorities.

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