e-Borders is a multi Government stakeholder programme aimed at further securing the UK borders. It involves the design and implementation of a database of data for all passengers travelling into and out of the UK. The data will be compared against suspect lists created by UKIS, HMRC, UK Visas and the Police, so that the Agency can decide whether to take action at the port of entry/exit.

Smarter Procurement Planning

The procurement process for a complex project can run to many months / years. Careful planning is required from the outset. Key success factors include:

Market sounding

Market engagement such as the OGC Concept Viability Process can be invaluable in ensuring that there is a sufficient source of supply and that the procurement will foster sustainable competition. Early engagement will also enable potential suppliers to consider forming alliances where a broad range of skills or niche suppliers may need to be involved.

Going to market only when ready

Once formal engagement begins there will be a step change in the level of customer and bidder resources and a resultant increase in pressure to achieve results. The planning and review process should ensure that the procurement goes to market only when ready, i.e. when there is certainty over budget and scope.

Certainty of scope from the outset

A significant reason for delay in complex procurements is lack of clarity over scope. Time spent prior to engaging with the market to ensure that the programme is clear about the scope of the requirements, the potential cost and the available budget will save significant delay later in the procurement. Changing scope once bidders are engaged will doubtless give rise to increased costs for all parties involved against pressure to complete the procurement within the original timeframe.

Factoring in contingency from the start

It's unlikely that all possible outcomes of each stage in the procurement can be predicted at the outset. Project planners must be realistic in setting the timeframe for the procurement. This will reduce the chance of delay in contract completion (and subsequent implementation) and therefore the need to increase the budget for the procurement. These are hard messages to sell within a procurement programme, and careful and realistic planning is essential.

Holding readiness reviews

At each stage of e-Borders a readiness review was held. These involved a group of independent reviewers reviewing key documents and analysing whether the procurement was fit to move to the next stage. Also the process focused the procurement team on ensuring that the documents were ready for scrutiny. The programme planned for the results of the review and made time and resources available to deal with the outcomes before proceeding to the next stage.

Managing a multi-stakeholder project

e-Borders involves a number of Government and industry stakeholders. At the outset of the project the Programme developed a stakeholder engagement strategy focused on:

Knowing the role of each stakeholder

What are the roles of each stakeholder? On the purchasing side, who takes the lead and how do others ensure their views are heard. It was essential to engage stakeholders early and ensure all parties involved were clear on their role in the procurement and post go-live.

Documenting the relationship

A series of memoranda of understanding were developed at the outset documenting the parties' objectives and their roles both in the procurement and post go-live.

Governance is key

In complex multi stakeholder procurements, governance arrangements will be needed for each stage. The e-Borders model balanced the complexity of the stakeholder relationships (adapted to reflect government, carrier industry and supply side needs).

Governance arrangements must be sufficiently flexible to adapt to emerging issues at each stage of the project, sufficiently comprehensive to allow stakeholders to have their say, but workable in terms of time and resource commitments.

Ensuring the contract is workable - Use of the OGC Model Contract

e-Borders was one of the first complex procurements to go to market after the OGC issued its model contract and guidance. The Programme was able to adapt the contract to the bespoke requirements of the project.

OGC guidance is now well developed. It should be used to consider the following:

What is the proposed commercial model?

For more complex procurements, it will be helpful to develop a set of Key Commercial Principles – these aid development of the contract and can be used to explain the shape of the deal to governance boards and the wider stakeholder group.

What will the shape of the contract be?

The procurement / legal team will need to consider whether the structure of the model contract will need amendment. Are all schedules appropriate, are any more required?

No two projects are the same

Every project has its individual features – therefore ensure that sufficient time is set aside in the procurement plan to develop the draft contract to cover all aspects of the procurement.

Key Messages

As highlighted above, problems often arise due to setting unachievable goals, being unclear about the scope and the funds available to procure it, conflicting stakeholder demands and moving from stage to stage without assessing readiness.

It would be unrealistic to suggest you can prevent any of these issues arising. However being aware of the possible problems and delaying factors at the outset and planning how they will be addressed will reduce the likelihood of your project making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.