Guidance

Remote Monitoring of Sensitive Sites Phase 2: Security and Resilience - Attachment

Updated 31 January 2024

This document is an attachment to the competition document for the DASA Themed Competition Remote Monitoring of Sensitive Sites Phase 2: Security & Resilience. It contains full details on the Test and Evaluation stage of the competition and must be read by all submitters to the competition.

1. Summary of Test and Evaluation Stage

In Autumn 2024, successfully funded suppliers will be required to attend the test and evaluation (T&E) Site. The location and exact date will be confirmed to successful suppliers before completion of the contracting stage.

Set up is expected to last for up to 4 weeks to allow installation and test set up of the AUTONOMOUS SECURITY ALARM AND INTERDICTION NETWORK (ASAIN) system. Details of set up will differ slightly for each supplier system. The event will be managed by NDA and representatives from the NDA Group.

The Test and Evaluation stage includes 3 elements:

1. Installation of system at Site – 4 weeks
2. Completion of the test period, 12 months (inclusive of 4 weeks set up) System operation and capture of system data and comparison against metrics.
3. Removal of system from site – post 12-month trial.

The ASAIN system will be trialled on an operational site for a period of twelve (12) months: unless during that period the system is proven to be non-viable, and the shortfalls found cannot be rectified.

Details on this 12 month Test and Evaluation stage are included below.

1.1 Location

The location of the trial will not be confirmed before competition closure but will be a decommissioned/decommissioning power station in Southern England.

The site’s existing security systems will remain intact/operational throughout the period of the trial. An area of the site will be allocated for the deployment of the trial security system(s) for the duration of the trial.

Trial systems will need to liaise with the site to ensure the trial system does not impact the integrity of existing security systems. How the trial system is integrated and connected to the security control room will also need to be determined and should be the first key enabler considered during the preparatory stages of the trial. In conjunction with the site license holder and facilitated by the Technical Partner.

1.2 Duration

The overall contract for this competition should run for eighteen (18) months, broken into a six (6) month development/preparatory stage followed by a twelve (12) month on site test and evaluation stage.

The timeframes may be affected if:

1. The system proves non-viable during the trial period and the issues cannot be rectified
2. The supplier decides to withdraw from the trial
3. There is an operational need to end the trial
4. It is considered there would be benefit in extending the trial (for example, due to issues in the preparatory stages that delay deployment; or the 12-month trial would benefit from an extension)

1.3 Responsibilities

It is the system developer’s responsibility to provide the trial system along with any operator training required to allow the site to operate the system unaided during the trial.

It is the site’s responsibility to conduct appropriate risk assessment and safe systems of work to enable the trial to begin.

The site and the system developer should agree under the contract timeframes for on-call support for the system for the duration of the trial.

1.4 Liabilities

Liabilities covering the deployment of trial systems onto a suitable site will need to be confirmed and agreed under contract prior to the deployment of any system to a site.

1.5 Safety cases

The site is responsible for developing appropriate safety cases to allow the trial to commence. Supporting information for the safety case will be required from the system developer to ensure the systems operations and limitations are fully captured in the safety case.

The safety case will need to be approved by the site where the system is to be deployed prior to any deployment and system operation.

1.6 Civil Aviation Authority

If the system utilises any aerial assets that are subject to legal requirements from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) permissions will need to be submitted and approved by the CAA prior to the systems deployment.

Autonomous flights and beyond visual line of site (BVLOS) may require discussions and support in conjunction with the authorities prior to deployment.

1.7 Milestones

Monthly checks will be utilised as a minimum for the duration of the trial. During the preparatory phase weekly checks to ensure preparations are on track may be beneficial. An NDA contact will be nominated to capture any emerging issues that may impact the transition to an on-site trial.

During the deployment, an additional formal quarterly meeting will capture performance and learning. The quarterly meeting will consider system viability and trial continuation.

1.8 Risks

Risks identified by the system developer should be captured during the project and mitigations highlighted and tracked. System developers should consider the risk of their systems proving non-viable during the trial period. Viability will be broken into two key risk areas:

1. Non-viable – not determined to offer a system that will be accepted.
2. Non-viable – offers potential if changes are made (continuation determined by whether the changes can be implemented during the trial).

1.9 System Operations

The system should be autonomous and able to operate with minimal human interface. The system MUST be capable of human override and manual operation from the security control room.

A handheld terminal interface may also form part of the operating systems.

1.10 System Maintenance

For a post-trial deployable system must be easy to maintain with minimal human routine maintenance. Specialist maintenance should be available on call, via contract and should include routine inspections and system checks. As a minimum six (6) monthly for routine maintenance checks and within 24 hours of a call-out for system support.

1.11 System Training

The system developer is responsible for training site operators and the system should be easy to learn/operate for non-specialist personnel. Training should include fault finding and reporting procedures indicating when external maintenance/support should be sought.

1.12 Value for Money

Value for money is a key consideration for the future security system. As we are moving away from traditional infrastructure the system should avoid lengthy cabling requirements and minimise the number of external detection systems utilising wide area triggers where possible e.g., omnidirectional detectors. Existing infrastructure may be utilised as a demarcation point for example, fence lines, however systems should avoid relying on existing wiring, detectors, and CCTV systems ergo the system should be viable without any existing infrastructure.

1.13 Future Contractual Arrangements

Post trial the future realisation of the systems deployed during trials should be considered. Potential contracts should include service level agreements for system support, training, and maintenance.

1.14 Data Protection

With the trials being conducted on sensitive sites General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) considerations need to be included in the deployment plans. Considerations need to be given to images captured both inside and adjacent/outside of the site boundaries. Criteria will be provided during the preliminary stages of deployment.

1.15 Information Security

Images and data captured during the trial are owned by the site. Any external system interfaces will need to be checked for security and data protection purposes.

Sensitive nuclear information (SNI) should not be shared with the system developer during the system deployment to a site. If it is determined the system developer requires access to SNI to support the trial the system developer will need to ensure employees working on the project hold the correct clearance levels (liaise with the site).

If access to SNI is required for the system developer to support the trial, and the system developer wishes to work on SNI in their own premises the system developer will require List-N accreditation.

To gain List-N accreditation the system developer will need to gain a Cyber Essentials Plus certification and will be subject to security assurance checks in each office/location the system developers wish to work on SNI. Criteria will be provided during the preliminary stages of deployment.

1.16 Cyber Security

The security system will require sufficient cyber security protection (for example, firewalls, detection systems) to mitigate a threat actor attempting to break into the system (for any purpose).

The system developer will need to check the component parts during commissioning to ensure nothing included in the system presents a security threat.

Cyber Essentials Plus is required by system developers wishing to work on SNI in their own office locations. The list-N assurance checks also include additional cyber security checks above those required under Cyber Essentials Plus. Criteria will be provided during the preliminary stages of deployment.

1.17 Media and Publications

During the trial, any images, articles or publications, interviews, conferences etc, that include information regarding the trials must be approved by the security team of the site where the security system is deployed on prior to any release or publication.

1.18 Collaboration

System developers are encouraged to work with potential complementary system developers during the trial to develop the best security system possible.

We are looking for proposals which reduce operational costs, use modern and resilient technologies and augment security professionals by the intelligent use of emergent technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

1.19 Transition from development to deployment

At the end of the development phase of the contract you will be required to install test and evaluate the capabilities of your systems on an NDA site. The systems will be assessed for a period of 6-12 months against common tasks representative of current site requirements, for example:

1. System efficiency
2. Ability to detect with minimal false alarms
3. Ability to interdict and track

2. Final trial showcase

Following test and evaluation we will invite suppliers to a separate event, where they will be required to attend and demonstrate their systems to stakeholders from across the Defence and Security and Nuclear Decommissioning communities (Note this event will be closed. We may ask selected individuals from outside government to attend).

Funded projects are expected to achieve at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 (demonstration in a relevant environment) by the end of the contract. Systems currently at or above TRL 6 in a civilian environment may be eligible for funding where the technology requires development to operate in a Defence and Security environment (potentially lowering the TRL).

We welcome proposals from across the full range of innovators including academia, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies, from both the UK and overseas. We also welcome joint bids that bring together the strength of different industrial or academic partners. For submissions, there must be a lead supplier who submits the proposal. The other suppliers within the consortium need to be listed as subcontractors.

The competition is open to innovators from the existing Defence and Security sectors as well as those who have not traditionally worked in this domain. Previous experience of Defence and Security work is not a requirement.