Ensuring better value in Hampshire Constabulary’s managed network services contract

Leading an innovative procurement project to deliver a secure, flexible WAN solution that saves money and increases efficiency when compared with Hampshire Constabulary’s previous targets

Challenge

Hampshire Constabulary sought our advice when its voice and data contracts were due to expire and the IT team wanted to review its sourcing options. We led an innovative procurement project that not only ensured better value from its managed network services contract, but also guaranteed that the new network could be fully accredited to under the UK government’s data security classification system.

Solution

After a comprehensive audit of the voice and network data services that they had in place already, as well as meticulously capturing the force’s requirements, we worked closely with Hampshire Constabulary to develop an ACPO-approved network options paper. The paper recommended a new three-year managed network service contract, paving the way for a collaborative procurement process carried out with Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police in the future.

We produced the tender documentation with the simple aim of improving network performance and flexibility, as well as security. We anticipated and accounted for a competitive and protracted procurement process, factoring in the development of evaluation criteria and reviewing the tender responses, before leading the supplier due diligence and providing contract and implementation assurance. In addition, we provided information security support during the procurement, resulting in the delivery of a new fully accredited ‘Restricted’ management facility.

Outcome

The new managed network service contract was procured on time and on budget, delivering a new secure and flexible WAN solution that also provided financial and efficiency savings against previous targets. These savings make further investment and infrastructure refreshes possible in the future, which in turn make it easier to support the increasing demands of business change and evolving estates strategies. The savings and rationalisation of several legacy network contracts have simplified the network support supply chain and reduced the vendor management overhead, further enabling the reinvestment of Hampshire Constabulary’s time and money.

We went on to provide security advice and technical assurance, including specification development and solution assurance, right through to the development of the risk management accreditation document set and security pen-testing to help introduce a ‘Confidential’ network overlay service, on top of the existing network – all to ease the transition to the Police National Database in the coming months.