UK SBS IT7281 ACAS Digital Advisory Service: Alpha

Description

Summary of the work Acas require a highly skilled, collaborative supplier with expertise in delivering digital services in line with the GDS Digital Service Standards to work on its Alpha project. This will look at navigation and content of our guidance using 2 test areas, evaluate and make recommendations for Acas’ existing technical architecture. Expected Contract Length 10 weeks with the option to extend for two weeks Latest start date Tuesday 8 August 2017 Budget Range £140,000 to £165,000 Why the Work is Being Done Acas completed a discovery project late 2016 looking at our digital advice/guidance service with the working question: “Can we change the way we present information so that different users get the information they need more quickly and easily?” We now require a specialist agile team to work with us in the alpha phase to help achieve: increase user satisfaction for our service, increase use of our online guidance to self-serve, reduction of ‘information only’ helpline calls, increase ratio of web visits to calls and improved user experience for mobile and tablet. This will support Acas’ wider aims: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1342 Problem to Be Solved Prototypes required for two areas of guidance (redundancy and holiday) to test navigation and content formats. Users need to find things easily, navigate complex subjects to find specific answers and gain confidence from plain language and authoritative content. Navigation and information architecture needs to be intuitive and scalable. Technical architecture support is integral to the project, Acas requires evaluations and recommendations for technology needed for Beta and Live (including CMS). The project must pass GDS alpha assessment and create agile capability building opportunities within Acas. Our service will not be on gov.uk and will use Acas’ look and feel. Who Are the Users Example user stories: As an employee who has been made redundant, I need to easily know where I stand so that I can quickly reduce my panic. As an employer who needs to make staff redundant I need to know the right way to do this so that I can plan my next steps. As a human resource advisor I need to quickly clarify my understanding of holiday entitlements so that I can answer a specific staff query promptly. Work Already Done Discovery was conducted Nov/Dec 2016. What we found/hypothesis to test in alpha: • Under 35s and small business owners have specific needs which are not yet addressed well. Enhancing the digital experience will enable us to engage more with this group of users. •Consistent messages early in the journey to remove trust-related “blockers” will increase engagement in the online experience •Content needs to be able to help address two user missions: solve specific problems and to educate users more broadly •Enhanced navigation will give us better user engagement with the website •Aligning content to best practice will increase user engagement Existing Team In house team: 1 x Service Manager (F/T), 1 X Product Manager (F/T). Secondments to shadow the process/capability build: 1 x Associate Delivery manager, 1 x User researcher, 1 x Content Designer, 1 x Business Analyst. Secondment roles have no agile experience other than user researcher who has some previous experience learnt from discovery phase. In house team does not have any experience of alpha. Current Phase Alpha Skills & Experience • Demonstrate your skills and expertise in the below criteria and how they will ensure the successful delivery of this project. (PLEASE LEAVE THIS BOX BLANK) • Delivering digital services using a multidisciplinary agile team and scrum techniques (as in the GDS Service Manual) that meet the GDS Service Standards to pass GDS Alpha Service Assessments • Delivering rapid development of prototypes created iteratively via user testing - based on Discovery findings to meet user needs (including assisted digital and accessible users) • Leading an agile team as well as coaching, mentoring and upskilling people in agile techniques and roles to build capability within existing teams • Creating and delivering robust KPIs for a service and using metrics, analytics, data and user feedback to create and prioritise key content and features • Delivering the review of existing technical architecture and making successful recommendations for legacy systems as well as suitable alternative solutions • Delivering the successful development of open source CMS including responsive templates, site publishing tools, front-end and UI web development Nice to Haves • Demonstrate your skills and expertise in the below criteria and how they will ensure the successful delivery of this project. (PLEASE LEAVE THIS BOX BLANK) • Managing and proactively engaging with complex internal stakeholder relationships to support digital transformation • Delivering work on a non-transactional content based service and creating a robust information architecture and content taxonomy solution Work Location Euston Tower, 286 Euston Rd, Kings Cross London, NW1 3DP Working Arrangments The team will be co-located with the project team in London, Monday-Friday usual office hours. Acas can account for occasional off-site working – to be agreed. The project will operate a standard agile scrum methodology: daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprints, demos, retrospectives, show and tells. The supplier will need to take a lead by being role model in agile ways of working. They will need to collaborate with our team and invest time in knowledge sharing and coaching to increase the capability of Acas staff. The supplier will be responsible for recruiting user research participants as part of the bid. Security Clearance Baseline Personnel Security Standard clearance required. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • Understanding of our requirements and what success would look like for this project. • Approach, methodology and estimated timeline– taking into account discovery findings, further user research and testing, GDS assessment and planning for beta. • How the approach or solution will meet user needs, including assisted digital and accessible users. • Approach to our existing technical architecture, legacy system and technical recommendations. • Approach to leading an agile team and coaching/mentoring/upskilling internal Acas staff. • Identification of risks and dependencies and offered approaches to manage them. • Project team structure (with roles and responsibilities) Cultural Fit Criteria • Demonstrate your approach to engaging with internal senior stakeholders undergoing cultural change and how this will support project success. • Demonstrate how you will work transparently, collaboratively and share your approach with the Acas project team and listen to their feedback. • Demonstrate how you will take responsibility for challenging the status quo and stand up for your discipline while involving Acas staff. Payment Approach Capped time and materials Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 20% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. 1. The "Summary of the work" section has a sentence that needs clarification. It says, "This will look at navigation and content of our guidance using 2 test areas, evaluate and make recommendations for Acas’ existing technical architecture." Could you explain this a little more as its hard to determine what is meant. We will be focussing on navigation and content of two topic areas in this alpha, which we will then be able to use across the wider advice content. We will need to generate overall recommendations for the technical architecture that will support our new website – including CMS, information architecture and hosting. 2. How much user research was conducted and how were users recruited? During discovery we used insight from 20+ existing research documents, 18 one to one stakeholder interviews with internal colleagues, 3 stakeholder workshops, 16 interviews with users and non users (including those with assisted digital and accessibility needs), 5 subject matter expert interviews, 6 lab-based in-depth user interviews and scenario-based observations and 30 Helpline recordings and 30 live calls. Users and non users were recruited by the external contractor. 3. What interaction, if any, has taken place with GDS? We are working closely with both BEIS digital and GDS on this project, and they are fully briefed. BEIS have been supporting us through the GDS approvals process and have provided advice and guidance to help us develop our specification. We have a main contact at GDS who is briefed on our project, and who is supporting us with access to development and networks of digital practitioners across government. 4. What is GDS involvement in this project to date? We are working closely with both BEIS digital and GDS on this project, and they are fully briefed. BEIS have been supporting us through the GDS approvals process and have provided advice and guidance to help us develop our specification. We have a main contact at GDS who is briefed on our project, and who is supporting us with access to development and networks of digital practitioners across government. 5. What coaching, mentoring and upskilling has been undertaken to date? A mixture of learning on the job, training with GDS academy: digital (foundation course, product manager, service manager and agile awareness), and recruiting in an experienced product manager. There will be a variety of skills and experience on the project, including an associate delivery manager who will be new to the role. 6. What are known constraints from an external user perspective from using the current look and feel of acas branding? We are reviewing the existing branding constraints at the moment – this work will be completed in July, and used as insight for this project. However we know from discovery that the amount and structure of content (long form vs short form), navigation and lack of signposting to actions users can take to solve their problems are issues we need to address. 7. Are there any thoughts on the relevance of the GDS pattern library for this? We are open to all suggestions on style and design – what’s key to us is great user experience that meets the needs of our personas. The gov.uk pattern library is relevant so long as the look and feel reflects Acas branding. 8. Has the intention to retain current acas branding on the site been discussed with GDS? Yes. We have an exemption from Cabinet Office on both brand and on retaining our independent site due to the impartiality of our work. 9. Why will the site not transition onto a gov.uk platform? We have an exemption from Cabinet Office on both brand and on retaining our independent site due to the impartiality of our work. 10. Can you tell us about your current CMS - are you planning to replace it entirely, is there a contract end date that you'll be looking to hit? Our current CMS is provided by Goss interactive and is a proprietary system. We are looking at all options including replacing the current system. There is no contract end date to hit. We are committed to using open source technology. 11. Does this work include looking at options for hosting, or do you have an existing supplier or infrastructure that you'd want to use? It includes looking at options for hosting – again we are open to all suggestions and would want to look at them with an open mind, working closely in collaboration with our Digitec team. 12. You mention that the work would use Acas's look and feel. Do you have existing brand guidelines/ a styleguide/ assets, or would you need to build them out as part of this work? We have existing brand guidelines and a style guide, but we know we need to develop these further as part of the overall website project. We are open minded about whether this can be done within this project timescale and budget. 13. Does this work include developing a content strategy with you? For instance, is there a publishing workflow at the moment, or would you be looking to create and agree this? This project does not include developing a content strategy as a deliverable but it is something we are working on separately. We have an existing publishing workflow that we are reviewing and changing. Insight from this project will be invaluable to this work. 14. You have said "The team will be co-located with the project team in London, Monday-Friday usual office hours." Can the supplier have a mix of onsite (London) and offshore based team members? This is to maximise cost effectiveness. Our preference is for all members of the team to be based in London, co-located with the in-house team. This is to maximise coaching, mentoring and upskilling opportunities to a relatively immature team. However, we would be open minded about flexibility. 15. One of the outputs of the Alpha is to have validated prototypes. Since the ACAS site is not based on gov.uk, are you ok for us to pick any prototyping tool like Axure or Balsamiq etc.? Yes. We would be looking to the supplier to recommend the approach. It’s worth noting two key considerations for us: our preference is to be able to reuse any prototyping done in this project in future projects, and we are committed to open source technology. 16. In other Govt. projects we have seen the team preparing HTML prototypes with live-like content (using Heroku) before its taken to the user resarch participants. Are you expecting the same i.e. create HTML prototypes rather than Wireframe prototypes using tools like Axure/Balsamiq? We are open to various approaches. We recognise there may be benefit in having prototypes that are as close to life as possible, however see question 15 for our preference to be able to reuse prototyping wherever possible to ensure value for money. 17. Do you have any preferred open source CMS in mind for this service? We would be looking to the supplier to recommend the approach, based on review of our existing technical architecture, user, future service and internal content and marketing team needs. Details of this will be shared with the shortlisted suppliers. 18. "Demonstrate your skills and expertise in the below criteria and how they will ensure the successful delivery of this project. (PLEASE LEAVE THIS BOX BLANK)". Can Acas please clarify what is being requested by the statement "Please leave this box blank"? Please do not provide a response to that statement as it is not a question that will be scored. Due to the word limit when posting criteria the question has been split into two parts. 19. We note that there is no defined word limit for responses. Will ACAS apply a word limit to the response? May images be included in the response? The word limits that relate are those that are imposed by the Digital Marketplace. 20. Could Acas please confirm if there is a specific format / layout / template / document they would look for a response to be provided in? Suppliers are to provide their initial response via the Digital Marketplace. Guidance for the second stage of the process will be provided to the shortlisted suppliers accordingly. 21. Could Acas please confirm the deadline time on the closing date for applications? The deadline time is 23:59 on Wednesday 5th July 2017. 22. "Successful development of open source CMS including responsive templates, site publishing tools, front-end and UI web development". Is the development of the CMS (and related products) expected to be completed as part of Alpha? Supplier recommendations for the CMS based on a review of our existing technical architecture and user/internal needs is to be completed as part of alpha (Detail of this will be shared with shortlisted suppliers). Prototypes for two key topic areas of the website will also be required (which can be used as future templates across different topic areas). Prototypes must take into account mobile, tablet, desktop etc, our preference is to be able to reuse any prototyping done in this project in future projects. 23. "Open Source CMS". Has a CMS been selected, or is currently in use, and if so what is the platform, version? If it has not been selected, is it the role of the Supplier to advise on the selection of a CMS? We would be looking to the supplier to recommend the approach, based on review of our existing technical architecture, user, future service and internal content and marketing team needs. Details of this will be shared with the shortlisted suppliers 24. "Demonstrate your skills and expertise in the below criteria and how they will ensure the successful delivery of this project. (PLEASE LEAVE THIS BOX BLANK)". Can Acas please clarify what is being requested by the statement "Please leave this box blank"? Please do not provide a response to that statement as it is not a question that will be scored. Due to the word limit when posting criteria the question has been split into two parts. 25. How many users currently interact with the redundancy and holiday guidance areas of the website? And, how much would ACAS like this to increase by? Redundancy pages: 321,350 users interacted with redundancy guidance pages in last year (June 2016 - June 2017). Holiday guidance pages:394,200 users interacted with holiday guidance pages in last year (June 2016 - June 2017). We would like to continue at our current rate of growth and will be setting KPIs during alpha. 26. Are Acas looking for the chosen supplier to recruit users for Alpha research? The supplier will be responsible for recruiting user research participants as part of the bid. 27. Can Acas share any of the outcomes from the Discovery - users, personas, journeys, etc? Ideally including deliverables alongside lessons learned / feedback on what Acas thought went well, what are the key improvements needed in Alpha, what success looks like. Key discovery findings have been shared in the specification. We have user personas, journeys and a discovery overview that will be shared with the shortlisted suppliers. 28. Could Acas please provide a breakdown of the evaluation scoring, broken down by question to respond to? In accordance with the buyer’s guide, we have not allocated points to individual criteria. Please refer to the “Essential skills and expertise” and “How suppliers will be evaluated” sections of the published requirements for a breakdown of the questions that will be scored. Evaluation scoring will use the following methodology:0 – not met, 1 – partially met, 2 – met, 3 - exceeded 29. Could Acas please provide a list of expected roles for the Alpha phase that would be provided by the supplier? We would look to the supplier recommendations for the team, based on our existing team listed, project outcomes, agile ways of working, timeframe and need to build capability within our internal team. 30. Could Acas please provide details on who and how the existing platform(s) are currently supported, and the support expectations of the future system? Our current website CMS is supported by a combination of our internal Digitec team and the provider of the software. Expectations for the future system would depend on the platform recommended and the internal team needs identified. 31. Could Acas please confirm if software licensing and hosting / environment costs are included in the budget estimate, and what the role of the Supplier is terms of providing these if so? Software licensing and hosting/environment costs are not included in the budget estimate. 32. Regarding the need for a "specialist agile team". Could Acas please confirm if they will be contracting on an outcome or specialist basis? This requirement is for an outcome. 33. Q1 - How did you arrive at the budget for this Requirement? Q2 - What team structure do you envisage? Please see Q29 for team structure. We have based our estimate on the key roles needed for alpha, for an 8 weeks project also including resource for the technical architecture review. We used average day rates supplied by BEIS digital as a guide. 34. Do you have a set target for reduction of ‘information only’ helpline calls? There is no set target for reduction of these calls. 35. Would you be able to detail Acas’ look and feel in some format like CSS3 for the selected supplier? The selected supplier will be given Acas' refreshed brand guidelines, these will be in Adobe Indesign and PDF format. 36. Does the procuring body consider this work to be in or out of scope of IR35? This is unable to be determined at this time, it is possible for contractors who are both in and out of scope of the off payroll working rules to be engaged through DOS. The successful supplier / contracting authority will need to check the status in accordance with the HMRC online tool prior to contract commencement. A link to this tool can be found here: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/check-employment-status-for-tax/setup 37. Q1 - Do you have a preference for Mobile-first / cloud-first or open source technologies? Q2 - Do you have any constraints for kind of technology to be used? Have you budgeted for licenses? Q3 - Do you have any current CMS licenses? Q4 - Do you currently use any CMS'? We would be looking for supplier recommendations for all technology solutions, please see Q22. Constraints for technology will need to be identified as part of the technical architecture review in the alpha project. Please see Q31 re: licenses. We have an existing licence for our current website which uses GOSS CMS however we would look to the supplier for recommendations for CMS for the new service. 38. Can you please details the average and max concurrent users? Website users visiting redundancy guidance pages in last year (June 2016 - June 2017):Highest number of users in an hour: 390Average number of users in an hour: 52Website users visiting holiday guidance page in last year (June 2016 - June 2017)Highest number of users in an hour: 4,339Average number of users in an hour: 56 39. Do you envisage needing an Agile coach during the alpha phase? We would be looking for the supplier to recommend what they see as the best approach. 40. What KPIs do you use for measuring "improved user experience" ? We have a number of pieces of desk research that measure this in various ways for our existing website. We would be looking to define a way to measure this KPI for the new service, taking into account the recommendations on the GDS performance platform – such as user satisfaction. 41. What are the usual complaints from your users? What is the feedback? Our discovery phase found that users needed to find things more easily and have clearer navigation and signposting for subjects. They also needed to be able to find specific answers to their questions within complex subject areas more quickly. Users needed to feel more confident that they had found the right answer to then take the next steps.