Software programming and consultancy services. Statement:

This notice is a re-advertisement of a Contract Notice published in the OJEU and MOD Contracts Bulletin (dispatched on 4.10.2013).

Potential Bidders should note that the term VERITAS mentioned herein is the name given to the bespoke software application developed for MOD and has no connection to the company or products of Veritas Software Corporation or its associates.

Requirement:

1. General.

a. UK MOD is seeking on behalf of Army HQ to expand the optimisation of the delivery of Logistic Support and Equipment through the implementation of coherent demand planning, supported by improved management processes and information support via a Programme called the Global Equipment Manager (GEM).

b. Development on the next Phase of Programme GEM must be based on the existing VERITAS application which sits in the Army Data Warehouse (ADW), managed by the Army Information Systems (AIS) Branch and will be accessed via the Defence IT system (DII). The current VERITAS application is built in Oracle Application Express (APEX) 4.2 and the data is held in an Oracle Database (10G), which is due to be upgraded to Oracle 11G by mid 2014.

c. The outcome of Programme GEM will enable Army HQ and DE&S Operating Centres' Staff in the Land Environment to more accurately cost the demand plan resulting from HQ Army activity planning, and enable informed decisions to be taken on the cost-effective provision of logistic and equipment support.

d. The expansion required herein, is for a Management Information Solution consisting of 5 Modules to be on contract by quarter 3 of 2014 with the selected bidder developing and delivering the Modules including for continuous support for a minimum of 1 year thereafter. There will also be Options for support beyond year 1 (see Section II.2.2 of advert).

2. VERITAS.

a. VERITAS is the title of the application developed under Programme GEM in 3 Phases. Programme GEM Phase 1 & 2 will have been delivered by this contract award. Programme GEM Phase 3 is the expansion of VERITAS and will be required to follow the specific Architectural Standards detailed below:

(1) All external feed data shall be stored in the ADW Enterprise Data Model using AIS architectural principles and standards (which are basic Kimball DW standards).

(2) Application code shall be APEX and PL/SQL (coding to follow AIS coding standards). Reports can be APEX or Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE).

(3) User authentication and authorisation shall use the AIS ‘LUMS' library (an existing package that links to the infrastructure to provide Kerberos SSO and authorisation schemes).

(4) Development tool versions shall match AIS ADW versions and only be upgraded in line with the ADW tools.

(5) Code deployment method shall follow AIS standards via the transfer of SQL scripts (using Oracle Warehouse Builder).

b. MOD Source information is imported via a browse and select capability in VERITAS. This information is placed into the ADW by the VERITAS application and then VERITAS uses that information from the ADW. All calculations and aggregation of data is completed within the VERITAS application.

c. Phase 1 was the demonstration of the Army Equipment Activity Costing Tool (EACT). Phase 2 is the merger of the DE&S Supply Activity Planning & Management Tool (SAPMT) and EACT into one enterprise system named VERITAS Stage 1. Phase 3 is the expansion and upgrade consisting of the 5 Modules detailed in Sub Section II.2.1 below.