Artificial Intelligence DPS - Data Ethics Letter of Understanding

Crown Copyright 2020

RM6200 Artificial Intelligence Dynamic Purchasing System - Data Ethics Letter of

Understanding

Purpose: to ensure high standards of ethical conduct are upheld when adopting

technologically assisted decision making in the public sector, in accordance with the principles

and recommendations in the Committee on Standards and Public Life’s report Artificial

Intelligence and Public Standards.

It is important that suppliers who bid for work under the RM6200 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) are committed not only to delivering the technical

elements of the procurement but also delivering ethically where a buyer has stated that there

is an ethical dimension to their tender.

The Office for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Government Digital Service (GDS) and Alan Turing

Institute published ethical principles for data-driven technology in the jointly issued A Guide to

Using Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector, in June 2019.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published a collection page in July 2020,

with main data ethics and AI guidance. Public servants working with data and AI will use this

collection of guidance when buying technology, products or services under the RM6200

Artificial Intelligence DPS. It is important that suppliers are aware of the standards and

frameworks that will affect the buying decisions of Buyer organisations and will adhere to these

as appropriate.

Suppliers may be asked to provide evidence of how the government’s Data Ethics Framework

principles have been followed during the development and implementation of the technology,

product or service, at the award of an Order Contract.

The following list of requirements for Artificial Intelligence suppliers is an example and not

exhaustive, and may be developed during the DPS Contract Period and by the Buyer

organisation.

Transparency and explainable AI

● The Supplier should describe the capabilities in the business to ensure the outputs of

the AI technology are explainable, and that this explanation is widely available and

understandable to a non-expert audience.

Ethical considerations relation to data limitations, fairness and bias

● The Supplier should identify data limitations and implement strategies to address these

data limitations.

● The Supplier should be able to describe the approach to eliminate (or minimise) bias,

ethical issues, or other safety risks as a result of using the service.

DPS Ref: RM6200 Artificial Intelligence

Project Version: v1.0

Model Version v1.0
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artificial Intelligence DPS - Data Ethics Letter of Understanding

Crown Copyright 2020

● The Supplier should be able to describe how they have ensured that the data used to

power the AI solution is sufficient in quantity, accuracy and relevance to the data

available, and what measures have been taken to mitigate bias in the model.

● The Supplier should be able to demonstrate how they consider the skills, qualifications

and diversity of the team developing and deploying AI systems.

Consent and Control

● The Supplier should adopt legally sound and ethical consent for processing and

capturing data throughout the full lifecycle of the solution and be able to describe the

level of human decision-making at critical points.

Privacy and cybersecurity

● The Supplier should be able to describe their privacy and cybersecurity approach for

the proposed solution, in particular how the data will be protected.

The Supplier shall cooperate in good faith with CCS to develop efficiency tracking performance

measures for Data Ethics Performance Indicators in accordance with RM6200 Artificial

Intelligence DPS Schedule 4 (DPS Management) clause 4 (How the Supplier’s Performance

will be measured), if required to do so by CCS.

Suppliers appointed to the RM6200 Artificial Intelligence DPS will continue to meet

government standards, guidelines and regulations as they develop in this industry.

In signing this letter of understanding you acknowledge that where a Buyer has stated that

there is an ethical dimension to their procurement, you will only bid for work where you are

willing to deliver both ethical as well as technical dimensions of a tender.

Signed by the Authorised Representative of ...................................................

[insert company name]

Signature .................................................

Name (please print) ...........................................

Position ....................................................

Date ...........................

DPS Ref: RM6200 Artificial Intelligence

Project Version: v1.0

Model Version v1.0