Information Activities (IA) Systems Integrator and Innovator (SII)

The purpose of this advert is to announce a potential requirement for a Ministry of Defence (MOD) Information Activities (IA) Systems Integrator and Innovator (SII). This is the first PIN as part of an initial preliminary market engagement. The Authority encourages industry to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI).

The Information Activities Programme will deliver infrastructure and services that will exponentially increase the Army’s contribution to Information Activity, meeting the aspirations of Integrated Action as articulated in the Integrated Operating Concept (IOpC). This will be achieved through enabling Army to understand and influence target audiences in both physical and informational environments in support of Army, Defence, and wider UK Governmental objectives e.g.:

o Audience Analysis.

o Messaging in both the Physical and Informational environments.

o Monitoring and Evaluation.

o Innovation and capability development.

o An Online Engagement Service (OES) capability delivering managed attribution digital information activities.

The MOD requires a SII to provide a scalable agile DevSecOps team to develop and maintain bespoke, developed applications, and to integrate together with COTS and existing MOD applications, data sources and enterprise services into one end-to-end Service (SaaS). It will follow a formal Scaled Agile (SAFe) approach for incremental delivery and will both take on and then continue to build upon the development work undertaken by incumbent SII supplier(s). The SII will also provide the service wrap to support the capability in service.

1. The solution will Integrate bespoke, COTS and MOD applications, with Enterprise Services (including hosting, IDAM, and gateways) into an end-to-end service.
2. Integrate the Service with other MOD systems and data sources.
3. Incrementally develop bespoke applications through DevSecOps Teams, leveraging emerging technology including automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
4. Identify innovative applications and approaches to deliver against the requirement, from both Industry and within MOD (SaaS).
5. Incrementally develop and maintain architecture, design, engineering, security, safety, and in service support artefacts.
6. Provide the Service Wrap (including incident management, service desk, training, software license management, obsolescence management, patching, security, safety etc).

The IA SII procurement is currently in its initiation phase as the Authority seeks Full Business Case (FBC) approvals. It is anticipated that the contract duration will be for five (5) years with breakpoints at years four (4) and five (5). The estimated total value is £50M.

For guidance purposes only the Authority offer the following indicative dates and activities:

• Request for Information (RFI) published: February 2023
• Early Market Engagement Event: May 2023
• Supplier Demos / Meetings: May – June 2023
• Full Business Case (FBC) Approvals: October 2023
• DPQQ Issue [Procurement formally starts]: December 2023
• ITN Issue: June 2024
• Contract Award: March 2025

The Authority anticipates that any SII contract will be procured with an exemption to the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR) 2011. The classification of the project is expected to be UKEYO. Additional information: Responses to the PIN will support the Authority decision with whether it will invite Industry to participate formally, and early market engagement activities may help to support FBC assurance and requirements development. Organisations must register their interest via the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP).

Any information (however recorded, preserved, or communicated) relating to the programme or project requirements which is disclosed or made available, directly, or indirectly by the MOD may be subject to change at the sole discretion of the MOD. The MOD does not make any express or implied warranty or representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information. Neither the disclosure of such information nor any discussion relating to this information, or any application or other communications received in connection with this activity constitutes, the giving of investment advice by the MOD or the creation of a customer relationship with the MOD.

The MOD shall not be liable for any costs, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by you in early engagement activities including if the activity is cancelled or amended by the MOD. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken in connection with this activity is a matter solely for the commercial judgment of your company.

This opportunity and the activities detailed do not constitute the initialisation or otherwise form part of any official procurement procedure. The MOD may, at its discretion and at any time, choose not to proceed with this procurement, but maintains the right to use any information supplied for the purposes of future procurement.

All communications are to be conducted via the messaging portal within the DSP.