The Shared ARC Platform Honoured with the GO Excellence Award for Collaborative Procurement
The Shared ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) Platform, a pioneering initiative developed to modernise telecare services, has been honoured with the GO Excellence Award for Collaborative Procurement. This award highlights the commitment of the Shared ARC Platform team, alongside our 17 Early Adopters (Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Health and Social Care Partnerships), our technical experts at FarrPoint, and Scotland Excel to enhancing public service delivery through innovative, multi-tenant cloud solutions.
The journey to this award began with the approval from the Digital Citizen Board in 2021. In collaboration with Scotland Excel and other key partners, the Shared ARC Platform was designed to revolutionise telecare services, combining cutting-edge technology with an accessible, shared platform to better serve communities across Scotland.
A key milestone in the project, the procurement tender, began in March 2022, culminating in May 2023. During this period, extensive evaluations were conducted to ensure the platform’s functionality and alignment with the highest standards.
The tender submissions were subject to rigorous evaluation by separate panels, each focusing on different aspects of the proposal – operational, technical, cyber security, GDPR, service management, implementation, and innovation. These panels comprised experts from our Early Adopters, FarrPoint, the Scottish Government, NHS NSS, and other key stakeholders.
The efforts were successfully concluded with a recommendation meeting involving stakeholders and final approval from the Scotland Excel Executive Sub-Committee in August 2023, when the contract was officially awarded to Chubb Fire and Security Limited. The process attracted considerable interest from industry, with five strong tender responses demonstrating the platform’s potential impact on the telecare landscape.
Managed in close collaboration with Scotland Excel, this initiative reflects the dedication of all involved to improving the accessibility and effectiveness of telecare services through shared resources and innovative cloud-based technology.
“We are thrilled to see the Shared ARC Platform recognised for its collaborative approach to procurement,” said Martyn Wallace, Senior Responsible Officer for the Digital Telecare Programme. “This award is a testament to the hard work and shared commitment of our team, Scotland Excel, and our partners to transforming telecare services ahead of the analogue to digital switchover.”
The Shared ARC Platform exemplifies a new standard for collaborative local government initiatives, paving the way for future projects aimed at improving citizen care through smart, scalable solutions.
