Information and Communications Technology

e-Procurement

The new In-tend e-procurement system is in the process of being completed.  The new contracts database collaborative hub is estimated to go live in December 2022. 

All services should now have responded to our call for interest and provided relevant details of existing contracts, allowing the project team to predict a timeline for onboarding.  In-tend shall be in contact with you all to determine your specific needs in transferring your existing Contract data into the system and onboarding requirements.

Training is currently being rolled out to all Police and Fire colleagues who were previously utilising the BlueLight Procurement Database (BLPD).  BLPD provided a contracts database for all parties and has a definitive deadline for being switched off, hence the prioritisation of these customers as a collective.  Once this has been completed and the hub is ready, Fire Services shall commence training and onboarding.

Multi Agency Incident Transfer (MAIT)

The MAIT project team are currently in the process of completing requirements and specifications for this new national solution into our control rooms.  Current timelines are shortly to be shared with Chief’s and each FRS, with the intention to award a contract to a successful supplier in this financial year (2023/24).

Each FRS has appointed a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) within service to liaise with the MAIT project team, disseminate any updates and act as a conduit for information.  As such, please do contact your SPOC to obtain any further information, or get in touch via the contact us form on our website.

Competitions Market Authority (CMA) Investigations

January 2023 – update

The CMA released their final report into the investigation into the acquisition by NEC of Capita SSS in December 2022. Please see the below link for the final report and summary.

NEC Software Solutions UK / Capita Secure Solutions and Services merger inquiry – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The CMA have decided that the most effective and proportionate remedy will be:

a) sale of the NECSWS ICCS business composed of the divestiture of NECSWS’s APD business (including Cortex), CallTouch and its Stream products (note, not the Capita SSS ICCS); and

(b) sale of either NECSWS’s CARM or SSS’s Origin business (ie if NECSWS fail to sell one of these businesses then they must sell the other).

CMA Investigation into Mobile radio network services (Airwave)

The ongoing CMA investigation into the land mobile radio network services market is nearing its completion.  

In order to transition from Airwave to ESN, an ‘interworking’ solution linking both products is required to be developed.  This currently depends on Airwave/Motorola.  The CMA were therefore investigating the impact on development and implementation of ESN with Motorola having a dual role in both products, and in addition, claims of overcharging for the Airwave network.

The findings indicate that ‘Airwave Solutions and its owner, Motorola, now have considerable market power in this market.’, and that the Home Office are in a very weak bargaining position.  It is deemed that the Home Office and all emergency services, are ‘locked in’ with Airwave Solutions as a monopoly supplier until 2026 if not longer.  

With the inability to benchmark any alternative provisions, the CMA has determined that there was an Adverse Effect on Competition (AEC), and set out to look at whether the charges being levied for the Airwave service were fair and reasonable.

The provisional decision was published on the 19^th October, which indicated that the profits that Motorola were achieving ‘significantly outweigh any profits it can expect to derive from the delivery of its ESN obligations..’ suggesting that the ‘Supernormal’ profits of Airwave could reduce the incentive for Motorola to deliver ESN.

Therefore, the remedies being proposed by the CMA include the imposition of a charge control on Airwaves pricing for the services from 2023, and obligations on Motorola to deliver an interworking solution in a timely manner on a ‘cost-plus’ basis.

Please see here for the full report – Mobile radio network services – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Sally is working with the NFCC ESMCP team closely to keep informed of the situation, and is happy to advise or assist FRS’s who require further assistance or information. 

Crown Commercial Services run regular aggregated procurement events for multiple supplies and services, including Mobile voice and data, IT Hardware and Microsoft licensing.  To avoid duplication of publicising dates and details, please see the below link for the most up to date opportunities for you to benefit from. 

If you do require any assistance or advice, please feel free to contact CCS directly, or Elli.Nikolaou@nfcc.org.uk

Events – CCS (crowncommercial.gov.uk)