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Solution Providers

What is a Solution Provider?

Solution Providers (SP) are individuals, groups or Contractors (Defence) who are suitably qualified and experienced in turning issues into solutions.

SP’s ensure all Human Factors Integration (HFI) activities and requirements are taken into account. When necessary, SP’s employ professional ergonomics or psychologists (Human Factors specialists), or work alongside a person (s) with considerable experience of undertaking HFI in a Defence context.

Providing Human Factors (HF) input and support to the selection of a SP is an important step in contract placement, reducing the risks that emerge from the tenders approach to HFI.

Although not a decisive factor in selecting a solution provider, possible outcomes from HF input to the process, prior to contract placement could include the following:

A prospective SP may be required to modify their approach to HFI
A need for additional HF resources (and additional contracts) may be identified. This may create additional project interfaces
Stakeholders may be alerted to potential HFI risks and make more informed decisions
A contingency may be included in the project budget against future HFI risks.

When should Solution Providers be utilised?

Solution Providers should be involved in the design process from the Concept design stage through to the end of the HFI process in Disposal.

Where can I find Solution Providers?

Solution Providers can be sourced from:

Within MOD capability resources
Industry.

Where HF resources are drawn from industry, it is preferred that they should be either:

UK Ergonomics Society Registered Consultancy, or,
Their activities should be led by or overseen by a registered Erogonmist.

Where these target criteria cannot be met, the Team shall ensure that the Solution Provider uses Suitably Qualified Experienced People (SQEP) to conduct the HF activities. However, depending on their nature, some HF activities will still need to be done by a Professional Ergonomics (Human Factors Specialist), or a person with considerable experience of undertaking HFI in a Defence context.

What should a Solution Provider produce?

Prior to contract placement the SP will provide a tender that demonstrates an understanding of the people requirements, and where appropriate, an HFI plan that meets the needs of the project or team.

The tender must identify and propose means of demonstrating compliance with each requirement defined in the Systems Requirements Document (SRD) and take into account compliance with Def Stan 00-250 Part 1.

The Solution Provider will show an acceptable means of demonstrating compliance including but not limited to:

Compliance with a published standard
Conformity to an agreed process
Measurement or inspection of solution characteristics
Static test
Dynamic test
Behavioural test
Functional test
Physical modelling
Prototyping
Trial use under defined conditions
Consensus judgement or consensus based on evidence.

Any deviation to requirements for Def Stan 00-250 Part 1 must be agreed prior to contract.

Post contract placement, the SP must deliver the items as agreed on the contract in the form and within the timeframe defined.

Are there any exemptions to complying with Def Stan 00-250?

Where the SP considers that due to the nature of the requirement or the nature of the resulting solution, particular requirements of the Def Stan 00-250 need not be applied, they will need to seek exemption prior to contract placement from the Team.

The contract exemptions will be documented in the contract schedule or within a compliance matrix which will be retained within the HFI Plan.

If during the contact period the SP considers that further exemptions are required they will submit a revised schedule or compliance matrix accompanied by a justification argument. The resulting record shall be maintained as a living document throughout the life of the contract and shall form part of the contract deliverables within the HFI Plan.

The decision to seek such sanctions shall be based on considerations of:

Solution size
Solution complexity
Solution novelty
Potential criticality of the Solution to the Team’s business
The balance between the contract resources to deliver the solution and the project impact on the Team.
Shortfalls in a tender’s approach being identified and mitigated.

How to support the Selection of a Solution Provider?

Supporting the selection of a solution provider is achieved by establishing specific success criteria and applying these to the tenders submitted in the form of a score sheet.

Each tender is assessed against the score sheet, weighted by type and size of the project, which impacts on the scale of support required.

SP support post contract start may vary, subject to the project maturity and other factors (working with sub-suppliers, selection of COTS solutions etc). It is essential to factor in contract and project review points in the Human Factors Integration Plan (HFIP) the principle concern is the SP’s approach to HF Risk Management.

Where an HFIP is not required as part of the tender submission it is important that the provider has supplied sufficient evidence to demonstrate a clear understanding of the HF elements of the project and is able to utilise suitably qualified resources in sufficient quantities to deliver the work.

Further Information can be found in the HFI Process booklet [PDF] External link to Internet content , People in Systems handbook [PDF] External link to Ministry of Defence Intranet content , Def Stan 00-250 and the Human Factors Intranet site.

Change History

1 March 2010: Further Information amended to include a link to People in Systems handbook.
1 December 2009: Further Information added.
1 May 2009: Solution Providers page reviewed and updated.