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2.6. Macro-phase 3: Analysis of other solutions

AAAIn order to satisfy its requirements, the public administration MUST also examine the opportunities offered by proprietary solutions and those built from scratch.

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MACRO FASE 1

Individuazione delle esigenze

MACRO-PHASE 1

Identification of requirements

MACRO FASE 2

Analisi delle soluzioni a riuso delle PA e delle soluzioni open source

[lettera b), c) dell’art. 68 comma 1]

MACRO-PHASE 2

Analysis of reusable PA solutions and open source solutions

[letters (b) and (c) of Article 68(1)]

MACRO FASE 3

Analisi delle altre soluzioni

[lettera a), e), f) dell’art. 68 comma 1]

MACRO-PHASE 3

Analysis of other solutions

[letters (a), (e) and (f) of Article 68(1)]

Fase 3.1

Ricerca soluzioni proprietarie

Phase 3.1

Identifying proprietary solutions

Fase 3.2

Studio realizzazione ex-novo

Phase 3.2

Analysis of from-scratch solutions

Fase 3.3

Comparazione soluzioni proprietarie e realizzazione ex-novo

Phase 3.3

Comparison of proprietary and from-scratch solutions

Fase 3.4

Approvigionamento soluzione proprietaria o realizzazione ex-novo

Phase 3.4

Procurement of proprietary or from-scratch solution

2.6.1. Phase 3.1: Identifying proprietary solutions

The public administration must assess the proprietary solutions available on the market.

The administration must search for a solution with a proprietary licence, analysing the offerings in accordance with the Public Contracts Code.

The administration must verify that the licensed software meets the following requirements (i.e. the absence of even one of these makes the solution ineligible):

  • compliance with the interoperability rules prescribed by the guidelines issued in implementation of Article 73 of the CAD;
  • compliance with data protection regulations;
  • compliance with minimum levels of security for public administrations;
  • compliance with accessibility requirements (Law No 4/2004);
  • capacity to export free of charge, at any time, the entire database (including any type of index or metadata used to implement the functionalities of the software itself) in standard format, open and documented, to avoid the occurrence of lock-in, as better specified in ANAC guideline No 8.

Among the software that respects the aforementioned requirements, the administration carries out a comparative analysis that takes into account the following criteria:

  • assurance that the functional requirements not determined in macro-phase 1 comply with those indicated in the documentation;
  • assessment of the suitability of the solution to interoperate with the systems already in use in the administration;
  • any software installation costs in the PA cloud or costs for using the software through SaaS mode, where present in AgID’s Cloud Marketplace;
  • any costs required to integrate the solution with the systems already in use by the administration;
  • any costs for training personnel to manage and administer the proposed solution;
  • calculation of the TCO and its adherence to the available budget determined in the previous macro-phase 1.

This phase concludes with the:

  • identification of solutions with a proprietary user licence that meet the requirements of the administration.

2.6.2. Phase 3.2: Analysis of from-scratch solutions

The public administration, after having identified the existence or not of a proprietary solution suitable for its requirements, shall prepare a document containing a feasibility study [1] with an estimate of the activities, costs and time required for the implementation of a solution from scratch that fully meets the requirements indicated in the document concerning the analysis of needs, as described in 2.4.1 Phase 1.1: Needs analysis.

2.6.3. Phase 3.3: Comparison of proprietary and from-scratch solutions

In making a decision between the development of a from-scratch solution and the acquisition of a proprietary solution (the so-called ‘make or buy’ assessment), the administration assesses the advantages and disadvantages of both types of solution, using the following list as a reference point:

Advantages of acquiring a proprietary solution:

  • quick commissioning;
  • full guarantee and application risk borne by the supplier;
  • supplier maintenance;
  • lower acquisition or subscription costs than full development;

Advantages of developing a from-scratch solution:

  • full compliance with needs and objectives;
  • ease of management (importing and exporting) of data;
  • medium/long-term TCO (Total Cost of Ownership);
  • sharing of the solution and therefore optimisation of the costs of sustaining it;
  • extension and updating;
  • reuse by other administrations.

Disadvantages of a proprietary solution:

  • periodic licences (monthly, annual subscriptions) or paid version updates;
  • rigidity of the operative flow or inability to adapt to the operational organisation of the public administration;
  • possibility of lock-in, i.e. excessive costs of changing the solution in the future;
  • economic stability of the supplier.

Disadvantages of a from-scratch solution:

  • more tasks to execute;
  • greater need for coordination;
  • longer commissioning times.

2.6.4. Phase 3.4: Procurement of proprietary or from-scratch solution

Following on from the previous phase 3.3, the administration identifies a solution, either with a proprietary licence or developed from scratch, which meets its requirements and provides for the procurement of the same according to the procedures set out in the Public Contracts Code.

If the from-scratch solution has been chosen, taking into account paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 69 that govern the reuse of software that will be developed, please refer to 3.7 Developing software from scratch for information on how to develop this solution to comply with the paragraphs mentioned and thus enable it to be reused.

In the event that proprietary software is acquired under licence, please note that the administration must, where possible, acquire ownership of the developed code (as explained in 1.5 Ownership), so as to enable it to be reused.

The comparative assessment shall be deemed to be complete.

[1]
`Feasibility analysis for the acquisition of ICT

supplies <http://www.agid.gov.it/node/881>`__