Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom

1. Title: CYBER VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TEAM
2. Awarding Authority: Ministry of Defence, Defence Digital, Corsham, GB. Web:
3. Contract type: Service contract
4. Description: Cyber Virtual Learning Environment (C-VLE) management team responsible for day-to-day management of C-VLE platform, defining and creating categories, administration of users and content, creation of new content, assurance of quality of content, media management, communications management, and content amendments.
5. CPV Code(s): 72000000, 72200000, 80420000, 72260000, 72261000
6. NUTS code(s): UKK, UKK1, UKK15
7. Main site or location of works, main place of delivery or main place of performance: Location South West England
Address where the work will take place The requirement can be predominately delivered remotely, however the supplier is expected to attend locations for alignment and face to face meetings as required. DCO community locations include:
Corsham
Cheltenham
Blandford
Portsmouth
Wyton
Chicksands
Leeming
Digby
Waddington
London
Colerne
8. Reference attributed by awarding authority: Not provided.
9. Estimated value of requirement: Budget range Budgetary Range for this Cyber Virtual Learning Environment Management Team is between £600,000 and £700,000 ex VAT per year to support a team of individuals within various roles. (The Authority anticipates that one service point will equal one work day for one individual. A ‘Service Points’ contract that allows the Authority to be more flexible and agile in project delivery and the ability to resource emerging priorities. The ‘Service Points’ elements represent fixed levels of input for variable output that are managed using an agile approach to enable flexibility in how the Authority draws on the services from the Supplier).
10. Closing date for applications 31.5.2022 (23:59).
11. Address to which they must be sent: For further information regarding the above contract notice please visit
12. Other information: Deadline for asking questions Tuesday 24 May 2022 at 11:59pm GMT
Latest start date Monday 8 August 2022
Expected contract length 24 months, with an optional extension of up to 6 months.
Why the work is being done The Defence Cyber Operations (DCO) users require a single virtual learning environment in which relevant training materials and courses can be hosted and managed. A Cyber-Virtual Learning Environment (C-VLE) has been developed, closely mirroring the existing Defence Learning Environment using the same Moodle, Mahara, Alfresco and Learning Locker technology and similar management processes and systems based on the existing Defence training standards. The C-VLE management Team will provide day to day management of the C-VLE in terms of content, category and quality management and developing of training metrics and reporting. The team support users and other suppliers in developing training materials optimised for the VLE and interfaces to other systems.
Problem to be solved Initially the C-VLE management team will be focussed on setting the new C-VLE portal to work by adding categories, roles and existing materials to it and establishing management reporting, user communications and training paths. Subsequently focus will shift to the ongoing management of the portal and content and quality management. As the portal develops there will be a need to support interfaces to new system. The portal must be managed within the extant defence training policies. The C-VLE Management Team will collaborate closely with MOD personnel and other suppliers. The priorities and detailed tasking of the team will be managed through an agile Service Points approach with the supplier and MOD staff acting as Product Owners collaborating to agree timeboxed outputs.
Who the users are and what they need to do Users of the C-VLE will mostly be MOD personnel, the majority employed in military roles. Initially it is anticipated there will be 500-1000 user spread across a number of tribes with differing training needs. These include all roles to fulfil MOD and wider government cyber tasks, including those in cyber operations, advise and design as well as governance and compliance. The users will be those working at awareness to foundation cyber competence, as well as those in the higher levels of skill, such as operators in the tier 1 Cyber Cadre. These cohorts will be managed within their own workforce elements.
Early market engagement
Any work that’s already been done The C-VLE platform is currently under development. Engagement has been sought with SMEs within the current platform (DLE), and delivery is anticipated early 2022 to support onboarding of cyber capability-based training material, content, and information. The intention is for the platform to service government departments within the Cyber field.
Existing team Current Defence workforce includes but not limited to; the Training Requirements Authority (TRA), the Training Delivery Authorities (TDA) Defence Cyber School and Centre of Excellence and the Delivery Team (SyInfra – Cyber Delivery Team) which includes a C-VLE Service Delivery Manager who will be the main point of contact and direction of the C-VLE.
Current phase Alpha
Working arrangements The requirement can be predominately delivered remotely, however the supplier is expected to attend locations for alignment and face to face meetings as required. The suppliers personnel will be expected to use MOD IT equipment but also to be provisioned with their own IT system capable of communicating via email and Teams/Skype meetings with MOD systems at Official Sensitive.
Security clearance All must have BPSS as a minimum on contract award and then gain SC clearance to allow access to MOD IT Systems. Preference for contractors to already hold SC clearance, however we would be willing to sponsor the SC clearance process at the supplier’s expense.
Additional information
Additional terms and conditions All expenses for locations outside of Corsham must be pre-agreed between the parties and must comply with the MOD Travel and Subsistence (T&S) Policy. For the avoidance of doubt meetings at Corsham will not be reimbursable.
The Authority may be supported by suitably qualified, experienced and appropriately security cleared independent third-parties during the assessment and evaluation of tender responses. These third-party assessors are obliged to protect Potential Providers and Authority information and are bound to confidence and impartiality through appropriate contractual obligations with the Authority.
The Authority will provide a requirements overview document at Stage 2 to shortlisted suppliers.
Skills and experience
Buyers will use the essential and nice-to-have skills and experience to help them evaluate suppliers’ technical competence.
Essential skills and experience
A broad knowledge of Defence and how it works, with a focus on defence training policy and practice.
Managing a Virtual Learning Environment from Concept to Application.
Administering Moodle and Mahara learning platforms.
Knowledge of using HTML and HP5 formats to create and manage content.
Managing first line support help desks.
Managing workloads using Agile methodology.
Working collaboratively with a range of suppliers and customers.
Communication and briefing across a diverse stakeholder community.
Nice-to-have skills and experience
Provide evidence of Development and Delivery of Cyber Security training.
Provide evidence of Defence approach to training and education described within JSP 822.
Provide evidence of Higher Education qualification (Ofqual level 7+) in TEL/LT related area.
Provide evidence of managing and developing training for the Defence Learning Environment.
Provide evidence of Alfresco and Learning Locker.
How suppliers will be evaluated
All suppliers will be asked to provide a written proposal.
How many suppliers to evaluate 3
Proposal criteria
Outline your onboarding process of material using MODs tools (Moodle, Mahara, Alfresco and Learning Locker) ensuring media and informational documents are categorised and maintained within the platform. (10%)
Demonstrate your ability to deliver a media design function that can; design, develop, maintain and deliver training courses, modules, media, newsletters and reporting of platform statistics. (10%)
Outline your approach to quality assurance of content, information and media and reporting to the Training Requirements Authority on your findings, amending material where required. (10%)
Outline your approach with aligning courses and materials to the Defence Cyber Competence Framework and Defence Cyber Operations Role Performance Statements to support user competency. (10%)
Outline your process for end to end management of the Cyber Virtual Learning Environment service from triaging work to assigning and completing tasks. (10%)
Outline your mobilisation plan and arrangements for transitioning to a future supplier at the end of the contract. (5%)
Cultural fit criteria
Demonstrate how you will work collaboratively in a geographically distributed, multi-supplier environment, including building capability (using skills transfer as a minimum) within the MOD (4%)
Demonstrate an effective team structure, including but not limited to the roles, responsibilities, ways of working, location and communication. (3%)
Demonstrate ability to respond to evolving requirements and uncertainty, effectively and positively, delivering change through effective collaboration and leadership. (3%)
Describe how your organisation will create employment opportunities particularly for those who face barriers to employment and/or who are located in deprived areas (2.5%)
Describe how you will create employment, re-training and other return to work opportunities for those left unemployed by COVID-19, eg: workplace schemes and opportunities for apprenticeships and traineeships (2.5%)
Describe how you will support health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce. (5%)
Payment approach Fixed price
Additional assessment methods
Evaluation weighting
Technical competence
55%
Cultural fit
20%
Price
25%
TKR-2022517-EX-1820465