Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2017-02-16
Buyer: Transport for London (Information and Communications Technology)
Country: UK
Region: LONDON
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 72000000 | 72220000: Systems and technical consultancy services | 72230000: Custom software development services | 72260000: Software-related services | 72300000

Technical requirements: TfL has used the Journey Planner system to offer online journey planning service to the general public, for many years and, consequently it is deeply integrated and inter-linked with numerous systems that TfL uses. TfL seeks a supplier to maintain, modify and adapt the core software element of TfL's Journey Planner System which TfL license from a third party. The supplier must be able to provide software support, functional enhancements, fault resolution, technical advice, regular updates and ‘new function’ development design if possible (see attached briefing paper).
Having undertaken extensive analysis of the system components and interfaces with all other systems, TfL believes the original Journey Planner supplier may be the only supplier in the market which can meet the requirement in relation to the support and maintenance of this multi-modal customer facing service tool. This is due to complexities around inter–operability, programme functionality and the very significant costs associated with integrating an alternative product.
However, TfL is committed to transparency and fairness and therefore invites potentially interested suppliers to respond if they believe they could offer a viable support service, provide details on how this might be achieved. The interested party is requested to provide TfL with a short paper (limited to six (6) A4 sides) that sets out the basis on which the supplier can meet all of the requirements stated in the briefing paper.
This is a voluntary PIN and TfL reserves the right without prior notice not to follow up this document in any way or with any interested parties.
This document should be read in conjunction with the PIN issued for the Provision of Support and Maintenance service of TfL's Journey Planner System (ref ICT12598).
TfL's multi-modal Journey Planner System (JPS) was launched more than 10 years ago and has become the customer facing application of choice for over 8 000 000 visits every month. It is a software that provide cross modal journey planning and underpins the Mayors strategy of providing customer travel information across all modes of travel within, and through London.
The application provides a web interface for the Travel Information Centres, Contact Centres and an API for developers.
TfL seeks a supplier to maintain, modify and adapt the JPS' core software which was developed by Mentz Gmbh (MDV). The supplier must be able to provide software support, functional enhancements, fault resolution, technical advice, regular updates and ‘new function’ development design if possible.
The current supplier (MENTZ) works with other suppliers of service to TfL to provide the integrated JPS. The supplier under the new support contract (new supplier) would be expected to continue with this interaction, particularly as projects under development will necessitate continued joint working. It is important that the new supplier has in place the appropriate infrastructure to support TfL and work with TfL's other suppliers to ensure that all projects run to a successful completion and that system operation is maintained uninterrupted.
The new supplier for the Journey Planner family of products used by TfL must provide, as a minimum, the following services to TfL. Journey Planner and its related products are required to be available to TfL's customers on a 24 hour / 7 day per week basis, giving uninterrupted access throughout the year.
— Regular releases, problem fixes and new functions for all the existing and new software in the Journey Planner family used by TfL. The schedules for software changes to be agreed with the nominated TfL representatives according to a formal change control process.
— Technical support for Journey Planner and related systems (with a 24 hour / 7 days per week out-of-hours call line and support facility). This includes the full range of technical support to allow continued use of the systems and maintenance of their operation. Journey Planner is available to our customers on a 24 hour basis and it is essential that technical support is also available to ensure uninterrupted system availability.
— Problem diagnosis for Journey Planner and related systems. The acceptance of all queries resulting from the identification of problems in the use of the various systems. This is also required on a 24 hour basis.
— The supplier must maintain a report and tracking system in which all support cases are reported to ensure that all issues can be monitored and progressed. All data must be retained on this system for review and audit as necessary. If required support statistics and reports must be capable of being generated from this system.
— Maintenance: if a new operating system is available the supplier must ensure that all Journey Planner and related applications work on this platform, using reliable and reproducible techniques for system testing. Evidence of satisfactory testing must be available for inspection.