Agenda item

[Report of the Director for Customers, Transformation and Resources. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods.]

This report seeks Cabinet approval to award the contract for Front Office Back Office (FOBO) customer platform software by selecting one or more contractors from a framework to replace the current Agilisys Digital system (My Account).

The Cabinet Member outlined that the Council currently used ‘My Account’ to manage its main online (resident) accounts, dealing with over 110,000 registered users transacting on several services including revenues, benefits, libraries, environmental reporting and payments. The contract for provision of the Agilisys Digital system was due to end in March 2020.

The Cabinet Member further advised that the new Customer Platform procured under Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) G-Cloud 11 Framework will provide Residents, Businesses, Landlords and other groups’ access to a range of Council services. It will deepen and broaden the digital services available, managing and tracking customer enquiries, service requests and ‘one and done’ transactions. This included the services already provided through ‘My Account’ and additional service areas including Parking and Housing.

In closing, the Cabinet Member informed that the Platform would deliver significant financial and non-financial benefits to the Council and customer groups including:

• Supporting identified annual savings in the FOBO Programme of circa £300,000 and a saving in the current annual platform license fee cost of £53,750;
• Potential for further savings in Corporate & Customer Services and other Council services;
• Improving the digital offer for customers, making more Council services accessible online, providing customers better access to services and updates at their convenience;
• Providing a simple, intuitive and personalised system to use which becomes the desired channel for accessing Council services. Improving the overall experience of using digital services;
• Managing and tracking customer enquiries, service requests and end to end transactions, regardless of if the customer is transacting through a customer account; and
• Generating easy to understand management information to support service development.

In response to questions from Cllr Connor, the following information was provided:

• In relation to the total number of residents living in the borough, in comparison to the number of registered users transacting services with the Council through digital means, it was important to note that not every single resident would need to make payments to the Council and there will likely be one person in the household that would be responsible for making payments. In addition, it was important  to ensure that residents that can access and to use IT make full use of the digital means available for their transactions with the Council, to free up customer service resources to support people that are less able to access services.
• The Cabinet member acknowledged the important issue raised on residents that the Council were wanting to attract to access online portals .The Cabinet Member would provide this information to Cllr Connor.
• Migration issues were likely but due to the benefits of the new system these were accepted and would mitigate this as much as possible. When residents   access their account, they will go to onto the new system and re log on. This re-register also ensures customer data is updated.

Following consideration of exempt information,

RESOLVED

To approve, in accordance with Contract Standing Order (CSO) 9.07.1(d), the award of a contract for the supply and support of Customer Platform software to supplier A for a 2 year period at a maximum cost of £518,938 with options to extend for up to 2 further 1-year periods at an annual maximum cost of £179,250 per additional year for a total cost not exceeding £877,438.

Reasons for decision

The current contract for My Account was awarded in March 2015 for 3 years with an option for a further 2 years to March 2020. The optional additional years were agreed and therefore, a new contract is required.

The new contract will significantly enhance the digital service offer to customers making it easier to access and receive updates on Council services. The platform directly supports identified annual savings in FOBO of £300,000 with the potential for future savings and provides a saving in the current annual platform licence fee of £53,750.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing

This is not a viable option as the current contract for the existing customer platform expires on 27^th March 2020. There are approximately 16,000 customer transactions through the platform with the Council per month, therefore customers would be disadvantaged, and in direct contrast to public expectations, if we were to withdraw this service.

Renew existing contract

The existing contract has already been extended to the maximum amount of time allowed within OJEU regulations, therefore this option is not viable.