Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford street
Manchester
M16EU
Contact
Kieran Smith
kieran.smith@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 7973874864
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKD33 - Manchester
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Strategic software developer and infrastructure partner/s to support regional digital transformation in Greater Manchester
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The GMCA is exploring opportunities to consolidate its existing software development and cloud infrastructure arrangements.
The GMCA has a large number of different suppliers that provide software development and cloud infrastructure services. This includes both code/low-code software development and the management of the GMCA's Microsoft Azure and limited AWS cloud infrastructures.
The GMCA has an ambition to grow our own internal developer and infrastructure capabilities. It is expected that any successful supplier/s will contribute to the GMCA achieving this and work closely with the GMCA's internal team.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 3
The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots:
Lot 1. Mendix Low Code Platform - Strategic PartnerLot 2. Software Developer - Strategic PartnerLot 3. Cloud Infrastructure - Strategic Partner
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Mendix Low Code Platform - Strategic Partner
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD - North West (England)
Main site or place of performance
It is assumed that the contract services will be delivered virtually. Where in-person activities are required, it is assumed that this will be at the buyer's place of work. The address for this is Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The procurement aims to consolidate the GMCA's existing Mendix Platform license provision and delivery partner arrangements. This will include:
1. Mendix Platform licenses to support both current and any new applications built on the Mendix Platform.
2. A Mendix delivery partner to support the GMCA with enriching existing digital products and the development of new products.
3. The provision of a Mendix Platform managed service to support live applications.
There is an opportunity within this lot to bid for the development of the Greater Manchester Our Pass Application:
The Our Pass App -
Our Pass was launched by the GM Mayor in 2019 to broaden the horizons of young people in GM and provide greater access to educational, leisure, social and culture activities.
Our Pass provides free bus travel, discounted tram travel, and Exclusives (offers, events, discounts) for the Our Pass user.
It is likely that this will include:
- Complete a discovery project to better understand the current opportunity around Our Pass
- Develop a new, feature-rich app that improves user experience, integrating the travel offer with the existing Exclusives service (currently an independent web app).
two.2.14) Additional information
Existing Mendix Platform Application Case Study - Early Years Application
Co-designed with health visiting and Early Years services across Greater Manchester, the Early Years App digitises the paper-based assessments and manual processes currently used to review a child's development.
The Early Years App enables parents and carers of children across Greater Manchester a way to complete relevant assessments digitally and ensures that parents and carers have access to both completed assessments and other supporting information completed by the professional and gives the user much more control over their own data. An integrated online portal offers video guidance to support children's learning and development.
The app offers better identification of support and facilitates automated sharing of data, with relevant professionals, enabling more timely identification of required support and reduces duplication of effort.
In some parts of Greater Manchester, the app is now live in early education settings, also giving local authority practitioners the ability to complete WellComm assessment forms digitally. This means we're increasing the age range of children in these areas being supported via the Early Years app, with a reach now up to primary school age.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Application Developer (non-Mendix) - Strategic Partner
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD - North West (England)
Main site or place of performance
It is assumed that the contract services will be delivered virtually. Where in-person activities are required, it is assumed that this will be at the buyer's place of work. The address for this is Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The GMCA is looking to procure the services of a strategic application developer partner to both support existing, and develop new low-code (non-Mendix Platform) and bespoke code applications.
The procurement will provide an opportunity for the GM public sector system to draw down on application developer skills and capacity to support both work led by the GMCA, and potentially other partner organisations, across GM.
It is envisaged that this will include services to support the breadth of the Government Digital Service Manual (product discovery through to retirement) including, but not limited to, UI/UX services, user research, business analysis and software developer services.
There is an opportunity within this lot to bid for the development of the Greater Manchester Our Pass Application:
The Our Pass App -
Our Pass was launched by the GM Mayor in 2019 to broaden the horizons of young people in GM and provide greater access to educational, leisure, social and culture activities.
Our Pass provides free bus travel, discounted tram travel, and Exclusives (offers, events, discounts) for the Our Pass user.
It is likely that this will include:
- Complete a discovery project to better understand the current opportunity around Our Pass
- Develop a new, feature-rich app that improves user experience, integrating the travel offer with the existing Exclusives service (currently an independent web app).
two.2.14) Additional information
Existing Application Case Study - Victims Gateway
The Victims Gateway is a digital solution that transforms the way victims and survivors access, engage and interact with victims services across Greater Manchester in a way that reflects the journey of a victim, and enables better use of data to inform decision-making.
This digital solution puts the needs of the victim front and centre, allowing them to track and manage their own service journey, as well as access services at a time convenient to them, with the flexibility to engage and re-engage over time as their needs change.
The Victims Gateway has been developed using the Microsoft Power Platform (Power Pages, Power Apps and Dataverse). While there is support for the Victims Gateway in the medium term, it is expected that some support and future development of the Victims Gateway will form part of this contract.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Cloud Infrastructure - Strategic Partner
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD - North West (England)
Main site or place of performance
It is assumed that the contract services will be delivered virtually. Where in-person activities are required, it is assumed that this will be at the buyer's place of work. The address for this is Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The GMCA is looking to procure the services of a strategic cloud infrastructure partner.
This will include providing a managed service for GMCA's existing cloud infrastructure. This is largely build in Microsoft Azure, however, there is also some limited AWS infrastructure.
There are no plans to move from the predominantly Microsoft Azure hosted arrangements.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
20 April 2024
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The GMCA is open to suppliers bidding for all three lots.
AN EVENT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE 3RD MAY FROM 12PM-1PM TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PROCUREMENT APPROACH AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERESTED SUPPLIERS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THE EVENT CAN BE ACCESSED LIVE HERE - https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19:[EMAILMATCH_0]/0?context={"Tid":"e8d8036a-b5f9-4f3f-9d36-d7cd740299bb","Oid":"e30b5213-9221-480f-a938-e03d84504a65","IsBroadcastMeeting":true,"role":"a"}&btype=a&role=a