Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Online Harms Data Transformation

UK-London: Development consultancy services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
             100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 2072116000, Email: commercial@dcms.gov.uk
             Contact: DCMS Commercial
             Main Address: www.gov.uk/dcms, Address of the buyer profile: www.gov.uk/dcms
             NUTS Code: UKI
      I.2) Joint procurement
      The contract involves joint procurement: No.
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided       
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
      I.3) Communication
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Development-consultancy-services./P7HD2763PC
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Development-consultancy-services./P7HD2763PC to the abovementioned address       
      Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at: Not provided
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
      I.5) Main activity
            Recreation, culture and religion

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: Online Harms Data Transformation       
      Reference Number: 102155
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      73220000 - Development consultancy services.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: This project will explore how best to remove these data barriers in order to support the development of technologies that keep users safe online.
We will contract a provider to work with public and private sector stakeholders to gather existing information and explore/test innovative ways of addressing these barriers. Work will fall into two main phases:
●Phase 1 - Data infrastructure discovery. To produce a report outlining the current data landscape, and the economic and social benefits of opening up online harms data. The report will set out how online harms data can be made available to a wider number of companies for the purposes of developing innovative online safety technologies.
●Phase 2 - Prototype development and testing. The provider will work with stakeholders to trial and evaluate a set of practical and innovative data and social science projects, based on the shortlist developed in phase 1.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 2,435,250       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UK UNITED KINGDOM
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The lack of adequate data infrastructure is hindering the emergence of a competitive UK market in innovative products and services that detect and address online harms. There is an urgent need to support the development of a more mature safety tech market, in which organisations of all sizes have access to the tools they need to keep users safe online. This will help to ensure companies are able to comply with the new statutory duty of care with the lowest possible burden.
The sector, however, remains at an early stage of development. Multiple interviews and consultations with stakeholders have consistently underlined that lack of access to high-quality data is among the most significant constraints to the growth of a mature and competitive market.
This project will explore how best to overcome the barriers outlined above and better enable the innovative use of data to support the development of technologies that keep users safe online. It will help move us from a data landscape where data is not shared effectively to one that supports competition, innovation and improved online safety for UK citizens.
It will primarily do this by appointing a provider to work with public and private sector stakeholders to gather together existing information, and explore and test innovative ways of addressing these barriers. Work will fall into two main phases:
●Phase 1 - Data infrastructure discovery. To produce a report outlining the current data landscape, and the economic and social benefits of opening up online harms data. The report will set out how online harms data can be made available to a wider number of companies for the purposes of developing innovative online safety technologies. It will develop a longlist of SMART projects in which enhanced cross-sector working could have most impact, and then work with stakeholders to develop a shortlist of projects which the provider will deliver in Phase 2.
●Phase 2 - Prototype development and testing. The provider will work with stakeholders to trial and evaluate a set of practical and innovative data and social science projects, based on the shortlist developed in phase 1. This may include testing the feasibility of the two most promising solutions we are currently aware of: the use of common data taxonomies to help data interoperability, and the use of data trusts and federated learning to address issues of data sharing. The output of this work will be a series of open-source prototypes, a report setting out the findings and conclusions, and a set of practical pathways to scale successful approaches beyond the end of this project.

The provider will be required to deliver its work through a multidisciplinary project team, including deep data science and social science expertise. It will be essential to consult with a variety of UK-based and international stakeholders to deliver the project, including commercial ‘Safety Tech’ companies and wider public sector organisations, to ensure that all solutions developed will be based around a deep understanding of stakeholders’ needs, and will be ready for implementation in the real world.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents            
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 2,435,250       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 18/01/2021 / End: 30/03/2022       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       No             
      Description of options: Not provided
      II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
      Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
      The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
      Identification of the project: Not provided             
      II.2.14) Additional information: Not provided       


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1) Conditions for participation
      III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
      List and brief description of conditions:          
      Not Provided       
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing          
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      Not Provided    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability    
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided      
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      Not Provided   
      III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)   
      The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No       
      The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No    
      
   III.2) Conditions related to the contract
      III.2.1) Information about a particular profession    
      Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:          
      Not Provided    
      III.2.2) Contract performance conditions          
      Not Provided          
      III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
      Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract: No

Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1) Description OPEN
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO    
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: No
      Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes       
   IV.2) Administrative information
      IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: Not provided       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 07/12/2020 Time: 12:00
            
      IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English,       
      IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender:
         Duration in month(s): 3
      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 07/12/2020
         Time: 12:00
      

Section VI: Complementary Information
   VI.1) Information about recurrence
   This is a recurrent procurement: No    
   Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
   VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
   Electronic ordering will be used No       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted No       
   Electronic payment will be used No       
   VI.3) Additional Information: Tenders must be submitted via the Delta e-sourcing portal to be received no later than 12:00hrs (GMT), 7th December 2020 (the deadline for receipt of Tender Responses).

Deadline for clarification questions to be issued to the Department is no later than 17:00hrs (GMT), 23rd November 2020.

The Department will be holding two online events to discuss the background to this bid and to clarify any issues within it. Details and signup links are below. These events will be recorded and made available online.
○Online Harms Data Infrastructure - lightning talks - Tuesday 10 November 15:00-17:00 GMT https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-harms-data-infrastructure-lightning-talks-tickets-126413394867
○Online Harms Data Infrastructure - bid clarification - Wednesday 11 November 15:00-17:00 GMT https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-harms-data-infrastructure-bid-clarification-tickets-126414618527
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Development-consultancy-services./P7HD2763PC

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/P7HD2763PC
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
       100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 207212088, Email: commercial@culture.gov.uk
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    Not Provided    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
Not provided
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 05/11/2020

Annex A