Awarded to Prodo Digital Marketing Ltd

Start date: Thursday 1 July 2021
Value: £120,000
Company size: SME
Stockport Homes Group

Stockport Homes Website Design and Development

28 Incomplete applications

24 SME, 4 large

17 Completed applications

17 SME, 0 large

Important dates

Published
Wednesday 24 March 2021
Deadline for asking questions
Wednesday 31 March 2021 at 11:59pm GMT
Closing date for applications
Wednesday 7 April 2021 at 11:59pm GMT

Overview

Off-payroll (IR35) determination
Summary of the work
The design and development of 6 new websites for the Stockport Homes group, using built in version 8 of Umbraco, as the latest secure version of Umbraco CMS to ensure longevity for the life of the sites.
Latest start date
Thursday 1 July 2021
Expected contract length
2 years
Location
North West England
Organisation the work is for
Stockport Homes Group
Budget range
n/a

About the work

Why the work is being done
Stockport Homes Group is looking to develop six new websites for Stockport Homes Group, Stockport Homes, Viaduct, Carecall, Your Local Pantry and Foundations Stockport, this will support the group vision of growth. Exceptional design and functionality combined with high quality content designed to encourage self-service supports the digital journey and the ultimate goal of delivering excellence for customers. The success of this project will be measured through the agreed outcomes and project deliverables.
The chosen supplier should be able to deliver;
 Support and maintenance for new sites with a roadmap view of improvements based on insights and customer feedback.
 Hosting of all 6 websites in a safe environment compliant with UK data security (plus the additional 4 websites that are outside of spec and are detailed within legacy considerations below)
 Stockport Homes is committed to building a long-term relationship with the chosen supplier, who should bring innovative ideas from learnings in the industry working to SHG's needs and budgets to support and develop the digital customer journey and vision for commercial growth.
Problem to be solved
The initial website development allowed for microsites to be developed to assist with website setup for the new companies within the group, along with partner sites.
As business growth and demand on digital communication has increased, the microsite feature is no longer a viable option. The separate companies have such a diverse audience that the designs need to be targeted individually, whilst retaining the link to SHG.
The individual sites:
Stockport Homes Group
As our umbrella brand does not have a website. This is an essential requirement to enable us to share our services. The website domains: www.stockporthomesgroup.co.uk, www.stockporthomesgroup.com www.stockporthomesgroup.org will be utilised to create an overarching website.
This site will promote links to all the companies (who will retain their individual URLs).

Stockport Homes
Core purpose: To inform customers.
This website is for customer information, and core business.

Viaduct Housing Partnership
Core purpose: To sell properties and showcase the portfolio

Foundations Stockport
Core purpose: To influence partners and funding opportunities and to allow access to services.
Future growth initiatives may require e-commerce facilities (such as Carecall packages bought on line).

Carecall
Core purpose: To promote and sell the service.
The new website needs to include e-commerce facilities
Who the users are and what they need to do
. The chosen supplier should commit to defining personas for a range of web users.
Stockport Homes Group
 General public
 Commercial partners
 Commissioners
 Career seekers
 Partners
Stockport Homes
 Core customers
 Leaseholders
 Colleagues
 Partner agencies
 Suppliers/contractors
 Housing Sector
 Political interest
Viaduct Housing Partnership
 Home seekers / buyers
 Developers
 Professionals from the development sector
 Funders
 Political interest
 Competitors
Foundations Stockport
 Service users
 Partner agencies
 Commissioners
Carecall
 Service users
 Family members of service users
 Health care professionals
 Partner agencies
 Competitors
 Industry regulators
Your Local Pantry
 National interest
 Partner agencies
 Customers
 Similar organisations
 Volunteers
Early market engagement
Any work that’s already been done
some stakeholder consultation
Existing team
internal stakeholders from Stockport Homes
Current phase
Not applicable

Work setup

Address where the work will take place
Cornerstone
2 Edward Street
Stockport
SK1 3NQ
Working arrangements
As decided between SHG and chosen supplier, happy to host remote meetings, with on site work as required
Security clearance
n/a

Additional information

Additional terms and conditions
n/a

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
  • The CMS must be built in version 8 of Umbraco.. Updates to Umbraco versions needs to be maintained. Please confirm you meet this requirement.
  • i. HTML - All HTML must validate as XHTML 1.0 Strict or XHTML 1.1
  • ii. CSS - CSS must validate to CSS2
  • iii. WAI - All published pages must conform to the WCAG 1.0 Priority level 2 (WAI-AA)
  • iv. W3C, W3C HTML 4.01 Transitional, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
  • v. Multi-Media Support - Authors must be able to utilise / link to YouTube
Nice-to-have skills and experience
Experience of delivery of a contract of similar size

How suppliers will be evaluated

All suppliers will be asked to provide a written proposal.

How many suppliers to evaluate
3
Proposal criteria
  • 10%SHG require the website, all content and processing to be externally hosted within an industry recognised environment. Describe how you will meet this requirement.
  • 5%All elements of the website, including CMS, security model, and associated file storage must comply with industry standard security levels. Describe how you will achieve this.
  • 5% please confirm you will be able to provide a hosting arrangement (via digital market place award), and details, including contract dispute process.
  • 5%please provide details of your approach to maintenance (planned)
  • 10%explain how you will deliver the following: • Interaction with Civica CM • E-Commerce • Electronic Signature/Document Sharing
  • 5%The websites must be accessible and offer the ability to translate information into different languages. Describe how you will meet this requirement
  • 5%The search facility must be highly visible and must help users quickly locate the information they require. Describe how you will meet this requirement.
  • 5%The design must use relative sizing and be tested to work on multiple screen resolutions and encourage online transaction. Describe how you will meet this requirement.
  • 5%The websites will be required to meet accessibility standards and legal requirements such as the privacy and electronic communications (EC Directive). Describe how you will meet this requirement.
Cultural fit criteria
  • Provide details of how your organisation: Provides employees with opportunities to support local voluntary and community sector organisations, through either paid or volunteering activities
  • Provide details and evidence of how your organisation: promotes environmental sustainability.
Payment approach
Fixed price
Additional assessment methods
  • Case study
  • Work history
  • Reference
  • Presentation
Evaluation weighting

Technical competence

55%

Cultural fit

5%

Price

40%

Questions asked by suppliers

1. 1. At what stage below details need to be provided?
2. Fixed price
3. Case study
4. Work history
5. Reference
6. Presentation
7. What is expected from Presentation? Please elaborate.
Please provide costs with your submission.

The top three suppliers will be asked to do a presentation made up of:
Intros

Intro to their company/history

How they would deliver the project

What innovation would they bring to the project?

How they would maintain our relationship

It is also expected we will take up references for the top three suppliers, and reserve the right to use a case study / work history if required.

Thank You
2. 1. Please share detailed scope (static & dynamic modules) of all website / micro site along with the structure of all 6 websites
2. Also share your requirement of any 3rd party integration.
3. After development do you also need support service? If yes, then what will be the duration?
1. We would expect similar site map to existing sites, but will work with chosen supplier to finalise.

2. SHG has Civica’s Cx Housing as its IT solution. Civica’s solution will enable the streamlining of multiple IT systems into a single platform. The CX solution will replace Northgate, CRM, React and Repairs and Assets systems. It also includes the development of a customer portal that will replace the ‘myonline portal’. The website will have a web chat facility, which needs to link.

3. Support services to be delivered through the duration of the contract and post ideally for three years.
3. 4. Do you have any specific design requirement? If yes, then please share.
4. Design to be developed with chosen supplier.
4. 5. Please share your requirement (Server Specification, Bandwidth etc.) for hosting server also.
5. SHG require the websites to be externally hosted. It is essential hosting is delivered within an ISO-accredited data centre on a secure platform (including DDoS protection) that is monitored 24/7/365.

Front end webserver Windows 2016
4vCPU
8GB Ram
100GB HDD
Anti Virus
Backend DB Server Microsoft SLQ Server 2016R2
DB Size ~5gb
must comply with UK data security standards. Primary data centres should be ISO2700, Tier II compliant, capable of providing PCI Data Security environments.
Hosting should perform snapshot backups to prevent data loss.
Schedule of maintenance will be at agreed hours. Routine patches undertaken monthly unless an emergency.
5. 6. Are you OK with complete offshore development?
6. Please clarify what you mean by offshore?
6. Do you expect suppliers to provide costs with this first DOS response? DOS only allows suppliers to provide a max 100 word response directly against each of the essential/nice-to-have skills you have set out. First stage DOS responses don’t allow separate documents to be provided. Costs are provided at the second stage by short-listed suppliers. Please could you clarify your expectations?
Apologies, this is our first time using DOS, We will retract previous responses relating to price and ask that this be submitted at the second stage as you advise.
7. Please can I ask what sort of budget you have anticipated? Further to my previous colleagues question, are you happy for the developing work to be completed by team members not residing in the UK?
Budget: Please note pricing is to be submitted at the second stage of submission, not as previously mentioned at this initial stage. SHG would prefer to not disclose the budget.

SHG seek contract with a supplier, and the deliverables within the project are clearly identified. It is the responsibility of the supplier to engage development. SHG would seek assurance regarding quality from the supplier, and would also require assurance of living wage and fair employment practices if outside of the UK.
8. Are you open to using a different Content Management System (CMS)?
SHG require the new websites to be built in Umbraco version 8 of Umbraco, as the latest secure version of Umbraco CMS to ensure longevity for the life of the sites
9. 2. We also request you to share financial format (i.e. Development Cost, Hosting Charges, Support Service etc.) so that all bidder will come on same page.
We will be looking for a breakdown of costs at stage 2 as follows:
- Content Management System Licence (breakdown)
- Implementation costs
- Project Management
- Training
-Design
-Hosting Costs
- User Testing
- Customer / Staff Consultation
- Support and Maintenance
- Any other associated costs
10. 1. Detailed scope (e.g. Static Modules, Dynamic Modules with Frontend and Backend Functionalities, Users Involved) will be helpful to calculate fixed cost.
Stockport Homes Group
 Contact us form
 Web Chat
 Case studies/News
 leadership and blogs
 Testimonials
 Link to Networx recruitment partner (micro site externally hosted at www.stockporthomes.org/careers)
 Galleries
 Embedded video
 range of templated content pages

Stockport Homes
 Focus on ‘call to action’ linked to Civica
 Link to Civica customer portal – searching and applying for housing, reporting a repair, making an appointment, viewing rent statements etc.
 View existing Vacancies (Via Networx)
 Work with Livechat Feature via Netcall
 Contact us form(s)
 Galleries
 Embedded video
 events calendar
11. 1. Detailed scope (e.g. Static Modules, Dynamic Modules with Frontend and Backend Functionalities, Users Involved) will be helpful to calculate fixed cost. CONTINUED
Viaduct Housing Partnership
 Home search facility
 Development showcase
 ability to embed video content including 360-degree tours
 electronic signatures
 Enquiry forms
 Web chat

Your Local Pantry

 Postcode search functionality
 Separate sections for each Pantry

Foundations Stockport
 events calendar
 Web chat
 Galleries
 Embedded video
 Enquiry forms

Carecall
 Web chat
 Galleries
 Embedded video
 Enquiry forms
 E-commerce to allow sign up and payment online + product pages and checkout functionality
 E-commerce needs to link into automated email system
 Pop up functionality during E-commerce process
12. Some of the technologies mentioned are a little out of date.
1) HTML – we build all our HTML to the HTML5 standard rather than the old XHTML standard. Are you happy for this project to be built to the latest HTML5 standard, or is there a legacy reason for choosing XHTML?
2) CSS – as well as using CSS level 2 features, we also usually use more recent CSS features if appropriate for the project. What is the reason for choosing CSS2? Is it because this project has to support legacy browsers?
 Yes that’s agreeable. Please note that sites must be Built in version 8 of Umbraco, as the latest secure version of Umbraco CMS to ensure longevity for the life of the sites
 Yes, we need to ensure legacy browsers are available for our customers preference. Should the supplier use more recent CSS that is acceptable, but must be stated in the return.
13. 3) Accessibility – We usually aim for WCAG 2.1 AA for all our projects. Are you happy for the project to target this standard rather than 1.0 mentioned?
4) Finally are you able to provide an indicative or ballpark budget range for this project as it will impact the appropriateness of respondents?
 Q3) Design should be mobile responsive and adhere to accessibility standards (WCAG V2 – recommending AA)
q4. Anticipated budget range is £90,000 - £120,000
14. Hi – can I just clarify that you’re going to shortlist on the 100-word-answers to the six essential and one nice-to-have skills and experience? Will that give you enough information to shortlist effectively? thanks
Hi,

Are you able to respond to the technical and cultural fit questions posed also?
Thank you
15. Could you please disclose your anticipated budget for this work?
circa £90,000 - £120,000
16. You have stated a £90-120k ballpark for the project. Please advise whether this is Including or excluding VAT. Also, please advise on your anticipated ongoing support and maintenance budget post go live, we assume this is separate from the £90-120k project budget
This is excluding VAT.
Going forward SHG have an annual budget for hosting/maintenance and support and the supplier should provide costs accordingly.
17. Hi again – you replied to my previous question with this reply:
‘Hi,
Are you able to respond to the technical and cultural fit questions posed also?
Thank you ‘
The answer is ‘no’ the only information that suppliers can give at this stage is 100 word answers to the six essential and one nice to have skills and experience. Do you want to republish the opportunity with some different essentials and nice to haves, then you can get more information at the shortlisting stage, and maybe shortlist easier? Just a suggestion.
Hello,
Thank you for this. As a way forward we propose to shortlist candidates from the 6 essential criteria and one desirable, and ask all those who pass this to complete a further more detailed technical and pricing submission, the top three of whom will be invited for a presentation (not scored, but may be used to adjust scores).
Thank you.
18. Are you aware that only this portal only captures 100-word responses for the Essential skills and experience & Nice-to-have skills and experience at the first stage?
Applicants can’t submit any other information during the first phase.
Hello,
A previous question has been raised, we propose to shortlist on the 6 essential criteria and 1 nice to have, and issue all suppliers who pass this stage with a further technical / pricing document with more detail, all suppliers will be awarded a quality / pricing score from this and we will invite the top three to a presentation which won't be scored, but may be used to adjust scores, before making a final decision.
Thank you.
19. Based on our experience working with other housing associations and the technologies you mention, £15,000-£20,000 per website would not go very far, which makes this seem like a risky endeavour for both parties.
Are your budget range expectations likely to shift based on the responses you get from this tender?
Hello,

Thank you. It is possible we may have to review the pricing, each submission will be reviewed, and clarification sought from the suppliers as required.

Thanks
20. At this stage we only have the option to respond to Essential Skills & Nice To Have Skills on the DOS advert. Do the technical and cultural fit questions have the same deadline? How are you expecting proposals to be sent for that side of things?
Thanks
Hello, we are proposing that we shortlist from the essential and nice to have skills and then ask suppliers to respond to the technical and cultural fit questions, with pricing, in a written format, with a subsequent deadline.
Thank you
21. Can you confirm that this stage is answering the 6 mandatory and 1 additional requirement only, followed by a full invitation to a full Request For Proposal stage to those suppliers who qualify?
Hello, yes, this is correct.

Thank You
22. Hi many thanks for the response, much appreciated and has cleared things up. Would you mind sharing your thoughts on the deadline for the subsequent response please?
Hello,

We would look to give suppliers a minimum of two weeks to respond, but ideally three.
Hopefully sending out full details mid April.
Thanks