A group of current and former federal, state and local officials-- including myself--participated recently in a multinational forum on "Emerging Technologies for First Response and Homeland Security Organizations," hosted by the United Kingdom's Police Information Technology Organisation. PITO is a global leader in the application of advanced information and communications technologies. They have championed a range of efforts that include nationwide identification systems, integrated criminal justice capabilities, advanced data- mining and incident query systems. In its role as a service organization, PITO strives to get the best value for the police on the goods and services it buys.
The U.K.'s radio communications deficiencies were similar to those here in the U.S.: out-dated technology, separate systems, no interoperability between forces, basic analog voice-only communications, unsecured communications and inadequate coverage. As in many places in the U.S., U.K. police departments were facing years of not being able to offer mobile data services simply because of budget constraints. That's when PITO turned the traditional purchasing model on its head. It decided that radio communications should be offered as a service, rather than as a purchase of capital equipment.
Working with its industry partners, PITO has been able to roll out new digital communications services to jurisdictions throughout the U.K. The users define the service-level requirements, and the contractor designs the solution. The upfront capital investment is borne by the contractor, and the contractor carries the risk of design, construction, maintenance and delivery to contracted levels. The users simply lease the service. The bottom line is that PITO's customers now procure advanced digital communication services--not a system.
There is a menu of services available, including core services such as encryption, mobile data gateways, network management, access to national information systems and disaster recovery. In addition, there are enhanced services that include additional capacity and coverage, enhanced interfaces, Internet gateways and support for major incidents. This is a national system that covers most of the U.K. including Wales and Scotland. There are more than 50,000 police users today with expectations that eventually the number will rise to 135,000 users.
As a service organization, PITO has learned how to work with the private sector to achieve what many here in the U.S. only talk about, namely how to purchase technology as a service, not as an asset. PITO had to work with its government partners to define the service levels that were important to them. The two critical concerns to its customers were coverage and costs. PITO then had to work with its industry partner to define a business model that had acceptable economic returns and risks. None of this was easy, and it sure wasn't apparent when they first got started how it would all come together. But after the initial pilots in 2000, and the subsequent efforts to work out the kinks, things apparently are going well.
What are the takeaways for those who have visions of providing similar shared services? First is the importance of standards. Without agreed-upon standards of service and interoperability, nothing could get off the ground. Second is the need to eliminate financial barriers to participation. PITO pays for the core services. Users pay for the enhanced services. Third is that customers need to retain control over their destiny. Each local police authority has its own individual service contract with the contractor that extends for 15 years.
Fourth is that industry needs to be given incentives to participate and take substantial business risks. In this case, the supplier benefits financially when additional users are added to the service. Potentially this includes fire, ambulance, utilities, corrections and defense agencies that are all eligible to use the service. Fifth, without a willingness and commitment by the leadership to be innovative and break new ground, the barriers will be insurmountable. In the case of the digital communications program, only one of the three original bidding consortia submitted a best and final response. Without competition to validate fair and reasonable costs, PITO developed its own cost model from the ground up as a basis of comparison.
We are being told every day that in the future technology management in government will be about costs and services, not about the technology itself. That may be true, but as the PITO experience demonstrates, we won't get there without vision, leadership and a resolve to break with the past.
