Awarded to Helpful Technology Ltd T/A Helpful Digital

Start date: Friday 15 November 2019
Value: £30,000
Company size: SME
Department for Education

Social media review

32 Incomplete applications

27 SME, 5 large

24 Completed applications

21 SME, 3 large

Important dates

Published
Friday 11 October 2019
Deadline for asking questions
Friday 18 October 2019 at 11:59pm GMT
Closing date for applications
Friday 25 October 2019 at 11:59pm GMT

Overview

Summary of the work
Review of DfE social media channels including how we can reduce call/email volume to our public correspondence unit.
Latest start date
Friday 25 October 2019
Expected contract length
Work to be completed by early December
Location
No specific location, for example they can work remotely
Organisation the work is for
Department for Education
Budget range

About the work

Why the work is being done
We require an in depth review of our owned social media channels and recommendations to help improve our engagement with DfE audiences.

We see this project broken down into 3 elements

1) In-depth analytical review of all DfE social media channels – incl. Twitter, LinkedIN, Instagram and Facebook – looking at content performance, user profiles, and engagement;
AND
workshops with teams to review current approach to content planning and development.

2) Strategic recommendations for:
*each social channel, looking at how we can engage directly and regularly in a strategic and targeted way with specific audiences like parents; teachers; businesses, young people and other key groups
*ways to reduce the volumes of calls/emails to public enquiry unit through more effective use of social media
* ways to amplify our key campaigns in a more systematic way – building inhouse social media and digital engagement into the campaign process.

3) If necessary, we are keen to have some bespoke training to support comms directorate development

This review needs to be completed by end of November with a kick off meeting in w/c 21st October
Problem to be solved
To help make our social media channels more effective with targeted audiences and reduce the volume of correspondence/calls to public enquiry unit.
Who the users are and what they need to do
Mixed - comms user needs.

DfE needs to effectively reach parents, teachers, members of the general public, school sector via our social media channels to help them understand government messages.
Early market engagement
Any work that’s already been done
Existing team
Communications Directorate officials - including Digital Comms, Social Media Team, Strategic Comms and Campaigns and Senior Leaders.
Current phase
Not applicable

Work setup

Address where the work will take place
Interviews and workshops will take place in London
Working arrangements
To be agreed
Security clearance
To be agreed

Additional information

Additional terms and conditions

Skills and experience

Buyers will use the essential and nice-to-have skills and experience to help them evaluate suppliers’ technical competence.

Essential skills and experience
  • Experience of leading in-depth analytical review of social media channels – incl. Twitter, LinkedIN, Instagram and Facebook – looking at content performance, and engagement.
  • Experience of running workshops with teams to review content planning and development.
  • Experience of making strategic recommendations to improve social media channels and reach targeted audiences
  • Experience of helping organisations reduce the volume of calls/correspondence through effective use of social media
  • Experience of delivering bespoke training to help build inhouse social media and digital engagement into the campaign process.
Nice-to-have skills and experience

How suppliers will be evaluated

All suppliers will be asked to provide a written proposal.

How many suppliers to evaluate
3
Proposal criteria
  • Tech solution/Experience to deliver in-depth analytical review
  • Approach and methodology
  • Value for money
Cultural fit criteria
Knoweldge and experience of working with government communications teams
Payment approach
Fixed price
Additional assessment methods
  • Work history
  • Presentation
Evaluation weighting

Technical competence

60%

Cultural fit

20%

Price

20%

Questions asked by suppliers

1. Is there a budget range set?
Apologies this information did not appear - the budget range is £20,000 to £30,000
2. Is there a current incumbent?
The current social media team is internal - no agency has been involved.
3. Your requirements state "This review needs to be completed by end of November with a kick off meeting in w/c 21st October"
Since applications will not close until 25th October please can you tell us what your revised realistic timescale for this work would be. Will you still aim to complete by end of November?
The new timeframe is:

Assessment w/c 28th October
Shortlisted candidate presentation Friday 8th November
Kick off meeting 14th/15th November
Completion of project by mid December
4. There is a kick-off meeting on 21st October but this opportunity doesn't close until 25th October. What is the correct date for the work to start?
The new timeframe is:

Assessment w/c 28th October
Shortlisted candidate presentation Friday 8th November
Kick off meeting 14th/15th November
Completion of project by mid December
5. Could you please outline the timeline of additional assessment methods, following shortlisting?
Assessment w/c 28th October
Shortlisted candidate presentation Friday 8th November
6. The opportunity says there is a QA session is scheduled to take place this Friday 18, but does not list a time. Could you please provide the time and joining details for this session?
12.30-1.30pm Friday 18th October

Conference call number 0203 3215238

ID 906787360#
7. How many staff members will attend training sessions?
How many days of training are required?
Will staff attending these sessions have varying levels of social media experience?
The amount of training will depend upon the results of the review.

The staff attending the training will have different skills levels and experience of social media.

The number of staff needing to be trained should be no more than 10.
8. Can you tell us more about the analytics side? Eg do you require setting up analytics for conversions?
We currently use native analytics for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIN. We also use iconosphere and Brandwatch.

As part of the review we will discuss broader analytical needs.
9. Are you able to share the outcome of the Q&A session this morning please, and any slides used?
There were no slides.
We briefly talked through the project as per the brief and answered questions from several suppliers.
Questions touched on timings, analytics and training requirements.