23.08.2022
The UPU seeks to engage a supplier to provide consultancy services for the audit of systems and measurement of performance of EMS Cooperative providers, and to prepare specific quarterly and annual reports for the EMS Cooperative Audit and Measurement Programme for a period of four years.
The objectives are to ensure that EMS Cooperative providers continue to offer excellent quality of service, as well as to maintain the highest security standards with regard to data handling, and produce accurate and well-presented report cards for EMS Cooperative members.
The deadline for the submission of tenders is 19 September 2022 at 16.00 CEST.
| Questions | Answers from UPU |
| For all audits, is the bidder asking for a functional or a technical audit? | Functional |
| For all audits to be performed, can you specifically define the terms "systems and procedures" ? | Actions performed by individuals, involved in the procecces, tools used, documentation created |
| What key reasons made the EMS Cooperative generate a call for tenders aimed at auditing its main IT services ? | There is a need for transparency for members |
| Have you ever done such audits on the mentionned systems ? If yes, could you share with us the resulting reports for each of them ? | Yes, it is a regular activity, the reports are confidential |
| What is the value, to the DOs member of the EMS Cooperative, of the different IT systems explicited in this call for tenders ? | These are the valued systems, that are used daily |
| For all tasks, can you name our main point of contact and business units within EMS we would need to report to ? | The contacts will be appointed after the signing of the contract between the UPU and the selected contractor |
| Are the system processes and procedures available, detailed and documented | This is a task for an auditor to check that |
| How many people shall the third party auditor interview for each tasks ? | On the average 2-3 people |
| Please, may you state the main audit criteria for the 2 first tasks ? | To verify that the data is secure and the processes are well defined |
| How many systems and procedures are there in the audit scope ? | Each audited party will have their own procedures and each one system |
| For all tasks, can you explicitely name the EMS providers involved in the audits and their relationship with the EMS Unit? | This can be revealed after the signature of the contract |
| Could you describe the overall IT governance and its organization of the EMS Cooperative ? | The IT systems belong to the UPU and are goverened by the IB/EMS Unit |
| Could you describe the overall Data Governance and its organization of the EMS Cooperative ? | The tracking data as well as the reports belong to the individual operators of the member countries |
| What is exactly the scope of this audit ? | The scope for this audit is a review of processes and systems in place to maintain the database of EDI data |
| Are the KPIs defined in task 3 and 4 generated by this "performance monitoring system" ? | Yes, they are calculated by that system |
| Which provider is managing the "performance monitoring system" ? | This can be revealed after the signature of the contract |
| Is the audit needed focused on functional or technical aspects ? Could you describe the procedures behind this system ? | It is about checking what proceeses are in place and if the data is treated in a secure way. |
| What is exactly the scope of this audit ? | The scope for this audit is a review of processes and systems in place to maintain the database of EDI data |
| How long is the tracking data stored within PTC's database ? | Such details can be revealed after the signature of the contract |
| How many FTEs are maintaining the performance monitoring system ? | That is not known to us exactly. |
| Could you define the scope of the online customer service and key value ? | This is an online tool for communication of agents from different countries on customer inquiries. |
| Which provider is managing and maintaining the "EMS Cooperative online customer service"? | This can be revealed after the signature of the contract |
| How is the performance report provider feeding "confidential tracking data" the Online Customer service provider ? | There is an IT solution in place and the data is visible on the particular authorized links only. |
| How is the tracking data fed to the Online Customer Service system confidential ? | There is an IT solution in place and the data is visible on the particular links only. |
| Could you define the organization, procedures and security processes revolving around this system ? | Such details can be revealed after the signature of the contract |
| Could you define the "reference data from the EMS Operational Guide " ? | For example: national holidays and call center working hours |
| Could you define the EMS Operational Guide value added for DOs and share with us its content ? | This is an online glossary with data. It is not possible for external parties to have access to it. |
| How many FTEs are maintaining the Online Customer Service ? | This is not known to us exactly. Around 2-3 |
| Could you define "external customer relationship manager" and their link with the customer service and the EMS Unit ? | Managers accessing via interface to i-care |
| What is exactly the scope of this audit ? | The scope for this audit is a review of processes and systems in place to maintain the database of EDI data |
| Could you define the procedures used in the handling of EMS tracking data ? | This is a task for the contractor. |
| Could you provide volumetric information about tracking data flowing in the POST*NET network ? | Such details can be revealed after the signature of the contract |
| Are the tracking events limited to EMSEVT ? How many reference events are handled in the network ? | Not only EMSEVT, there are some other messages too. Around 30 types of events. |
| How many FTEs are maintaining the POST*NET system ? | This is not known to us |
| Could you specify the organization revolving around the collect of data from EMS service providers ? | EMS Unit on behalf of EMSC managing the data for the benefit of our members |
| Apart from GXS and POST*NET, are there any other EMS service providers ? Could you name them and specify their role into your organization ? | These are the data networks, not service providers. There are only these two networks at the moment. UPU members use them for the exchnage of data and the IB is using a data copy for reports production |
| Are all reports produced through task 3 & 4 published in the EMS Operational Guide ? | The reports are not published in the Operational Guide, the reports are all sent to members and some are published on the website of the EMS Cooperative in the password protected section |
| Could you precise if the procedures' audit on the SSO user database is a functional or technical one ? | It is a functional one |
| What are the tools used to administer this SSO user database ? | it is maintained by a human |
| What is the governance revolving aroung the SSO user database ? | It is managed by the EMS Unit, IB. |
| Could you specify the content of the documentation produced ? | It describes the processes |
| What is the link between this documentation and systems/reports ? | The documentation describes the processes associated with the system |
| Could you qualify and quantify the criteria for the publication of information on the EMS services ? | It is several pages per operator in the form of questions and answers. |
| Would it be possible to interview some DOs' EMS members' representatives that are using your services ? | They are the end users of the audit report, rather than the audit target |
| Who would be our key contacts in the EMS Unit for this assignment ? | The contacts will be appointed after the signing of the contract between the UPU and the selected contractor |
| Previously, have you ever internalized the reporting generation ? | No, these types pf reports have always been produced by a third party |
| For each reports to be developped, could you provide us with previous reports and the related documentation ? | Yes, it is possible, however it is important that the old reports do not influence the development of the new reports. |
| Are the metrics mentionned already defined ? | Yes, all indicators are defined |
| Are the metrics used to generate the reports will be provided by the bidder to us ? | The list of indicators will be provided |
| On a quarterly and annual basis, when is the mentionned data produced and provided to us ? | You are expected to produce the reports within 7 -10 working days from the receipt of the data, you can have a template as soon as the contract is signed. |
| Could you qualify the needed "flexibility" for this assignment ? | Some measurable indicators change every year, you should be flexible enough to catch up with it and adjust the reprots design and your process. |
| Are you speaking about Switzerland's working days ? | yes |
| Who would be our key contacts in the EMS Unit for this assignment ? | The contacts will be appointed after the signing of the contract between the UPU and the selected contractor |
| Could you provide us with previous annual reports and the related documentation ? | Not sure that it is possible. To be discussed. |
| Could you define the Audit and Measurement Programme scope, content and overall governance ? | It is dedicated to measurement of the memebrs performance and then the third party looks at the proccesses and reports to the members to assure them that the procedures related to measurments are transparent |
| When shall this report be produced and provided to the EMS Unit every year ? | After the annual results are available, this usually happens in the beginning of February. |