The Home Office is planning to build an augmented data catalogue to help users find and exploit data assets within its group of organisations.
The move comes in response to one of the recommendations of the Windrush report on the treatment of immigrants from the Caribbean and their children that the department should improve the quality and management of its data.
Its digital, data and technology (DDaT) function has identified a need for a platform that would help officials to better understand the data it holds and become the primary repository of evidence to support decision making.
The department has published a market notice for support to help build and improve the catalogue over the course of a two-year contract valued at around £1.4 million.
This indicates that a proof of concept has already been carried out on an Informatica platform with two AWS environments, which has resolved the security concerns and laid the ground for developing a product to cover a range of data services.
It will initially serve directorates within the Home Office and the user base is expected to increase over the contract period.
Promoting best use
The notice says: “Leaders in the department should promote the best use of this data and improve the capability to anticipate, monitor and identify trends, as well as collate casework data which links performance data to parliamentary questions, complaints and other information, including feedback from external agencies, departments and the public (with the facility to escalate local issues).
“The Home Office should also invest in improving its knowledge management and record keeping, as well as responding to findings of Information Commissioner’s Office audit report relating to our record of processing activities and other issues with our information asset register.”
The plan marks a further step in the Home Office’s effort to improve its data capability. It has just published a notice for a £25.4 million contract, agreed last May to run for two years, with data strategy and architecture company 6Point6 to develop a technical architecture capability for the DDaT portfolio.
It has also revealed details a new Border Risking and Targeting Capability and signed PA Consulting in a £30 million deal as its central delivery partner for DDaT.
