Output Checking System (formerly badged Airlock Software) for Research Analysis Platform

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    "title": "Output Checking System (formerly badged Airlock Software) for Research Analysis Platform",
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    "description": "UK Biobank (\"UKB\") currently hosts a cloud-based health Research Analysis Platform which makes research projects and data accessible to researchers (\"RAP\"). The current RAP was procured by UKB in 2020 and was developed by DNAnexus, in collaboration with, and cloud infrastructure provided by, Amazon Web Services.\nAs part of a series of changes to implement UKB's strategy to create a more secure data environment, UKB intends to initiate a procurement exercise for the development of a new RAP (\"RAP2.0\") and associated services to take account of advances in technology over the past 5 years and its future requirements. The RAP2.0 is anticipated to be the default way that most researchers will access and analyse UKB's biomedical database and it is anticipated to comprise one or more software platforms or data analysis services that work together to meet the diverse functional needs to the research community.\nUKB currently intends to undertake separate procurements in relation to (i) the RAP2.0, (ii) cloud infrastructure which will host data on RAP2.0, and (iii) the development of an Output Checking System to control the extraction of data held by UKB for research purposes, whilst ensuring the ongoing security and confidentiality of the data (\"OCS\"). UKB has established an informatics working group consisting of senior experts who will provide guidance to help develop the requirements for the technology listed at (i) - (iii) above.\nIt is currently envisaged that the first procurement to be undertaken will relate to the OCS (in the first half of 2026), followed by a procurement for cloud infrastructure (in the second half of 2026), followed by the procurement of the RAP2.0 in 2027. \nThis updated Preliminary Market Engagement Notice relates to the development of the OCS. Separate Preliminary Market Engagement Notices were  published for RAP2.0 and cloud infrastructure in April 2025 and are being updated.  \nThe OCS will act as a data management tool to check compliance with confidentiality requirements when data is exported from the current RAP and RAP2.0. The development of the OCS may also be   required for UKB to achieve certification by DHSC/NHS as a Trusted Research Environment for the purpose of continuing to receive and make available linked health record data and is intended to provide additional assurance in addressing the principles set out in the ONS Five Safes Framework.\nUKB held two preliminary market engagement meetings with interested suppliers in September 2025. Following additional due diligence carried out by UKB it is now intended that the approach to the procurement of the Output Checking System will be carried out under two procurement processes in the first half of 2026:  \nA.\tA proposed procurement for the Workflows and User Interfaces that will form the framework for the OCS which it is intended will be carried out via CCS Framework and will utilise pre-built accelerators in the existing AWS cloud technology stack\nB.\tA proposed procurement for the Decision Engine which forms the key automated decision making element of the OCS and which is intended to be carried out via a competitive procurement process under the Procurement Act 2023",
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    "title": "Airlock Software for Research Analysis Platform",
    "status": "planning",
    "amendments": [
      {
        "id": "051282-2025",
        "description": "Following the preliminary market engagement notice for Airlock Software for Research Analysis Platform sent on 23rd April 2025, UK Biobank is now going to hold two market engagement sessions in September to present a high level view of the requirements and the tender process and evaluation for the Airlock data output checking system solution. The sessions will be on the following dates:\nSeptember 11th 2025 9am - 10:30m UK time\nSeptember 18th 2025 4pm - 5:30pm UK time\nBoth sessions will cover the same material and there will be a questionnaire for suppliers at the end of each session. Please register your interest for one session by contacting tenders@ukbiobank.ac.uk , stating the full name and email addresses of any attendees in order that the meeting invite can be sent. These sessions will be held virtually via Microsoft teams."
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