Purpose

The SASS is intended to address the issue of lack of interoperability which has been the subject of critical HMICFRS reports and CTU inspections, in the period since Stockwell, Rodney and Grainger.

Police Digital Service has undertaken a procurement exercise that has led to the establishment of a Framework Agreement with Airbox Systems Ltd to provide an enhanced situational awareness capability, available to all forces and partner agencies.

SSAS solution is described as delivering the concept of shared surveillance teams across agencies, allowing multiple assets and capabilities to be tracked and visible together, allowing the immediate live streaming of surveillance footage to any member of the operation (or others by invitation), and introducing ‘E-Logging’.

The NPCC has recommended that SASS is taken up on a collaborative basis in order to realise financial savings that arise when purchased at scale.

Merseyside Police have agreed to be the single contracting entity/Lead Force, for itself, 17 other Police Forces and the College of Policing, and will enter into a Call-Off Contract under the Framework.

To facilitate this all parties were required to enter into a Section 22A Collaboration and Funding Agreement. The section 22A agreement ends when the Call-Off Contract ends or when all matters relating to it have been settled by the parties.

There is provision to withdraw from the section 22A agreement by giving 12 months’ written notice to all other parties. However, there is a minimum financial commitment in respect of the initial 2 years of the Call-Off Contract.

If forces do withdraw there may be an increase in licensing fees for any subsequent period as discounts may be affected.

The parties to the section 22A agreement decide whether to extend the Services for years 3 and 4.

The above s22A agreement was entered into in January 2023 and updated in March 2024.

The proposed amendments to that agreement will provide -

i. greater functionality
ii. change to effective date of the s22A now 1st April 2026
iii. a revised Finance Protocol set out in Schedule 2

The cost implications of the proposed amendments for GMP are set out below -


i. Yr 3- the previous figure agreed to in the amendment signed earlier in 2026 was £173,421.45 but we have been advised that this was an error. The correct figure in the S22A year 3 call off agreement is £173,460.60

ii. Yr4 indicative figure currently stands at £173,421.45

The cost per licence for the Enhanced functionality is £200 per user/licence per annum. However if Forces agree to pay annually in advance a 25% discount is applied to this cost, reducing it to £150 per licence per annum.

The Finance Schedule advises that by entering into this Agreement all Parties are only committing to year three of the Call-Off Contract with Airbox.

The original s22A committed the forces to years one and two and so the new s22A is intended to cover the period for year 3 of the Airbox call-off contract.

Within the NW Region, GMP pays the largest Financial Contribution of £173,460.60 but it has the greatest number of licences at 435.

The objective of the collaboration is to maximise the purchasing power of the Parties under the Framework Agreement and thereby qualify for the highest price discount for theService available under the Framework Agreement.

On the basis that GMP has a continuing requirement for the Airbox services the Chief Constable will sign sign which contains similar terms to the previous 2023 and amended 2026 Agreement.

Decision

The Deputy Mayor authorises amendments to the S.22A agreement, for the Surveillance and Situational Awareness System (SASS).

This is an amendment to a 22A Agreement entered into in January 2023 and then updated in March 2024 and March 2026.

The amendment to the agreement entered into in March 2026 provided:
• A change to effective date of the s22A now 1st April 2026
• a revised Finance Protocol set out in Schedule 2 which advises that by entering into the new s22A Agreement, Greater Manchester is committing to year 3 of the Call-Off Contract with Airbox. The new s22A is intended to cover the period for year 3 of the Airbox call-off contract and nothing further.

Greater Manchester is now being asked to agree to a further amended agreement as the figures on the previous agreement produced by Merseyside Police were slightly incorrect. The original figure for GMP’s year 3 contract costs was given as £173,421.25 but this Decision gives authorisation to sign the new agreement with the correct costs reflected as £173,460.60 which represents an increase of £39.35