Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Cafcass
16th Floor, Southern House
Croydon
CR0 1XG
Contact
Cafcass Procurement Team
Telephone
+44 3004564000
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=ecee7628-0540-ee11-8124-005056b64545
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Social protection
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Request for Information - How It Looks to Me - Application development
Reference number
DN677786
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
How It Looks To Me Application Development
Description of procurement
Our organisation
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) was established on 1st April 2001 as part of the government commitment to supporting children and families. It brought together the services previously provided by the Family Court Welfare Service, the Guardian ad Litem services, and the Children’s division of the Official Solicitor’s Office. Cafcass is sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and is a non-departmental public body.
Cafcass is independent of the courts, social services, education and health.
Our remit
Cafcass operate within the law set by Parliament (Criminal Justice and Court Services Act, 2000) and under the rules and directions of the family courts. Their role is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children going through the family justice system by understanding their experiences and speaking up for them when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures.
Family Court Advisors may be asked by the courts to work with children and families then advise the court on what we consider to be in the best interests of children in 3 main areas
• divorce and separation sometimes called ‘private law’, where parents or carers are unable to
agree on arrangements for their children
• care proceeding sometimes called ‘public law’ where children’s services have serious
concerns about the safety or welfare of a child
• adoption, which can be either private or public law
Our requirement
Cafcass intends to seek a specialist provider to re-build/recompile, enhance, support, and commercialise its ‘How It Looks to Me’ application. The application is an interactive tool that Cafcass practitioners use to help communicate with children and young people. The tool has a number of interactive screens which help to capture the thoughts and feelings of children and young people, producing a report once the information is collected. The tool assists practitioners in gaining information about what is important to the child/young person, their family, what they enjoy, what they fear, as well as capturing feedback and anything they would like to communicate to the Judge involved in their case.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
How It Looks To Me Application Development
Description of procurement
Our organisation
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) was established on 1st April 2001 as part of the government commitment to supporting children and families. It brought together the services previously provided by the Family Court Welfare Service, the Guardian ad Litem services, and the Children’s division of the Official Solicitor’s Office. Cafcass is sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and is a non-departmental public body.
Cafcass is independent of the courts, social services, education, and health.
Our remit
Cafcass operate within the law set by Parliament (Criminal Justice and Court Services Act, 2000) and under the rules and directions of the family courts. Their role is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children going through the family justice system by understanding their experiences and speaking up for them when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures.
Family Court Advisors may be asked by the courts to work with children and families then advise the court on what we consider to be in the best interests of children in 3 primary areas
• divorce and separation sometimes called ‘private law’, where parents or carers are unable to
agree on arrangements for their children
• care proceeding sometimes called ‘public law’ where children’s services have serious
concerns about the safety or welfare of a child
• adoption, which can be either private or public law
Our requirement
Cafcass intends to seek a specialist provider to re-build/recompile, enhance, support, and commercialise its ‘How It Looks to Me’ application. The application is an interactive tool that Cafcass practitioners use to help communicate with children and young people. The tool has a number of interactive screens which help to capture the thoughts and feelings of children and young people, producing a report once the information is collected. The tool assists practitioners in gaining information about what is important to the child/young person, their family, what they enjoy, what they fear, as well as capturing feedback and anything they would like to communicate to the Judge involved in their case.
The ‘How It Looks to Me’ application has been developed using PixiJS and compiled into a UWP project. As UWP is no longer an actively supported technology the new supplier will be required to cross compile into a modern supported platform or to re-build the existing solution (whichever is the most cost-effective way to achieve our goals), ensure the app is stable performance, and add several enhancements.
Since being initially deployed the How it Looks to Me application has generated interest from a number of other children’s services related organisations. In addition to the development element Cafcass is therefore also looking for a partner who has the experience and capability to develop and support a commercial model that would allow other organisations to acquire the application and become part of a broader user community.
This notice is for prior information only and is intended as pre-market engagement. We are requesting interested suppliers complete a Request for Information to be returned by 16:00 15th September 2023.
Further details regarding this can be viewed here https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=ecee7628-0540-ee11-8124-005056b64545
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 November 2023
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: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2023/S 000-019160