UK Porting - Chairman’s Report #5
Introduction
The UKPorting project has delivered some important milestones since the last Chairman’s update. The procurement process has continued apace: the original five vendors were initially reduced to three and we are now working with a shortlist of two after detailed assessment of their proposals. We have also moved to a private procurement process.
An independent negotiator has been appointed to lead a team to complete the final negotiations on behalf of PortCo. The target date is the 1 st of September for Vendor contract award. However there are still a number of issues that could affect that date.
Significant progress has taken place in getting the Business Process High Level Design complete. There are still issues under discussion that could affect the design, however, we now have the base to work from and it is hoped the outstanding issues will be cleared up over the next few weeks.
After much discussion a Governance model for ‘Interim’ PortCo has been agreed and all members have signed up to the MOU.
The disputed funding model for PortCo has now been agreed and substantial progress made on the constitution so that lawyers have been instructed to start drafting the ‘full’ PortCo Constitution.
The overall project status remains AMBER due to: the Governance model for PortCo not yet being finally agreed, the outstanding issues that may mean changes to the Business Process HLPD and the generally tight timescales.
The Executive Members of UKPorting have re-affirmed their intention not to delay the project by re-opening old and previously agreed issues, thereby addressing one of the concerns I raised in the last Chairman’s update.
The overall programme remains deliverable at this time.
Progress Update
1. Governance (GREEN)
The Commercial Group has been working hard in a number of areas. The M emorandum of Articles of Association for full PortCo is being reviewed and addressed by the lawyers. The Membership agreement is nearing completion, the User/ license agreement is under discussion and the Loan agreement is also nearing completion.
2. Work Groups
Vendor Negotiation: (GREEN) – Progressing according to schedule, although timescales to meet a formal contract signing by 29 th August are extremely challenging. Discussions will endeavour to facilitate the vendor formally commencing delivery on 1 st September.
Policy: (GREEN) – Inter-Operator Communications (IOC) business requirements have been agreed and will form part of the discussions with vendors on the optional hub procurement. A new initiative relating to the Communication Providers’ engagement plan has been started as it is particularly important to have a clear channel of communication with smaller CPs.
Commercial: (AMBER) – As outlined above, the major Commercial activity is around the creation of the new commercial entity PortCo and the governance model needed to operate PortCo. In addition, Commercial Group is providing comprehensive support of and input to the creation of the necessary contracts between vendor and PortCo and PortCo and Members.
Programme Management: (AMBER) – A re-plan exercise on the 14 th July yielded good results, pulling the work groups together has now enabled us to bring the project back on track and on target for meeting the December ’08 and September ’09 milestone deliverables. However, careful monitoring and ensuring turnaround of key documents is a key factor to staying on target.
Procurement: (GREEN) – Good progress during discussions with the vendors, target still to formally commence work with the primary vendor to deliver the Central Database (December milestone) on 1 st September
Technical: (AMBER) – The main activity of the Technical WG for this last month has been the evaluation of the vendor technical responses and recommendations for the shortlist. The focus has now shifted to clarification and discussion of the two short-listed vendor solutions to address non-compliances and finalise requirements for contract negotiation. There remains concern amongst members that the timescale to agree technical specifications in time for contract signature is very short.
Business Processes: (GREEN) – A key milestone was reached by the Business Process Group at the end of July with the first issue of the Mobile Number Porting High Level Process Description. This refers to the 2-hour Recipient Led mobile porting process requirement under the revised GC18. This version has some outstanding unresolved issues beyond the control of the group which are marked as such. We hope to clarify these as quickly as possible and re-issue the document. Work continues in the group on fleshing out the areas that have not been addressed in depth and will result in a full end-to-end process manual.
I am pleased that we continue to keep the project momentum going. There has been much hard work and many intensive sessions from the members and their teams across the whole project. I am grateful for the commitment shown by many of the folks in the working groups.
Peter McD. Black
Chairman UKPorting
Green means no issues have been identified that will impact the plan.
Amber means some issues have been identified that are being dealt with that could impact the plan if not resolved.
Red means issues have been identified that could impact the plan that no solution is yet available for.