The Pensions Ombudsman: website redevelopment and digital platform integration

Description

Summary of the work Redevelop website to: • help our audiences resolve pension complaints • improve the look/feel, making it more user-friendly/interactive with improved search function and more intuitive navigation • enable regular monitoring of user satisfaction Propose future plans/costings for hosting/maintenance arrangements Audit existing platforms to build in processes for future development. Expected Contract Length Three to six months Latest start date Thursday 2 January 2020 Budget Range Up to £70,000 Why the Work is Being Done Our key target audience is expanding. Our website needs to be clear, user-friendly, easy to understand and use different formats to convey relevant information. We need to consider user journeys from the start of their needs and recruit users with lower digital skills to understand the needs of the website and test its effectiveness. Our Tailored Review, 2019 recommended TPO "fully refresh the information and tools available on its website." Our different internal online platforms need further development/integration and we need a platform for other restricted groups such as external stakeholders. We need to launch a new website by 31/03/20. Problem to Be Solved Our website was last redeveloped in 2014. Design-wise, it is now looking tired and outdated with limited functionality for users, poor navigation, out of date content and inadequate search facilities. We need a modern, responsive website to enable us to implement a new Communications Strategy (currently under development) to improve communication and information-sharing with customers, stakeholders, staff and volunteers. More information about TPO can be found in our Annual Report - https://www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/TPO-Annual-Report-2018-2019.pdf Who Are the Users As someone with a complaint about my pension I need to find out if it can be considered by TPO. As someone with a valid complaint I need to submit it to TPO so that I can get it resolved. As a respondent, I need to understand TPO's complaints process so that I can respond appropriately. As part of the wider pensions industry/key stakeholder/press, I need to read TPO news and determinations to keep up with developments. As a member of staff/volunteer, I need to process online complaints and read internal guidance and news so that I can resolve complaints. Early Market Engagement In October, we emailed 500 randomly-selected suppliers representing large, medium, small and micro suppliers and asked for their thoughts on: 1. the likely cost of the project 2. the length of time it is likely to take 3. how we address the no-discovery phase 4. our draft essential criteria We received 19 full responses. A summary of which is below: 1. A third of the responses fell outside of our anticipated budget, ranging from £200k to £1.5 million. The remaining two thirds ranged from £24k to £150k – largely within our budget. 2. Responses ranged from 7 weeks to 12 months to complete the project. The vast majority fell within our timescales, although suppliers thought this was tight. Suppliers suggested getting to a certain phase by 31/03/20 e.g. Beta, minimum viable product (MVP) by that date with further iterations to come. An alternative solution suggested was omitting a Beta phase. 3. Without exception every supplier recommended we undertake some level of discovery work to better understand requirements and minimise risk – a lean approach has been included in the updated essential criteria. 4. Our draft essential criteria were well received. Wherever possible they have been updated to include suppliers’ suggestions. Work Already Done N/A Existing Team Communications Manager: is project manager and main day-to-day contact They will coordinate contact with other stakeholders. Project Team (PT): representing key internal stakeholders including staff and volunteer representatives, PT is responsible for delivering on the operational side of the project. Project Board (PB): made up of Executive Board members and senior managers, PB is responsible for strategic decision-making. Staff and volunteers: will need to be engaged with the project from the outset and be involved in discovery and testing stages. Existing supplier: for handover Current Phase Not started Skills & Experience • Experience in undertaking a lean approach to discovery using existing Google analytics and feedback. Develop an iterative process of design/development that has prototyping and user experience built in throughout • Extensive experience of user testing with real people using own devices with assistive technology as well as people with lower digital skills • Extensive experience of designing and building inclusive websites, optimised for mobile devices that work with people with lower digital skills. • Experience of content planning/development, content migration from existing site and ability to produce content in different formats including video • Experience and evidence of designing accessible websites to meet specific regulations and guidance • Experience of project management and collaborative working. • Ability to work with the portal development project (out of scope) to provide a seamless user experience - there is no API, just hyperlinks • Demonstrable evidence of delivering in short-time scales with the ability to scale up or down and outline your approach/processes to the design and build • Demonstrate an understanding of security and data protection Nice to Haves • Previous experience of working within public sector and working to GDS standards • Experience of developing websites that offer Welsh translation (as part of Welsh Language standards) on all content, navigation and taxonomy • Experience of designing and building websites using Wordpress, our existing platform • Good understanding of the new EU regulations https://www.gov.uk/guidance/make-your-website-or-app-accessible-and-publish-an-accessibility-statement Work Location 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Working Arrangments Preferred supplier will work off site the majority of the time but we would expect on-site presence of at least two days a week when entering a new phase to engage with staff and other key stakeholders. Weekly progress meetings with Communications Manager, in person or via Skype depending on stage of the project. Preferred supplier will attend in person a minimum of six PT and three PB meetings over the lifetime of the contract at key stages. Expenses to be included in budget for the project Security Clearance Standard BPSS clearance Additional T&Cs None No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • How the approach meets our needs and those of our diverse audiences • Previous experience of similar projects • Team structure, roles and responsibilities, knowledge and experience • Costs and value for money • Proposed timescales and indicative project plan • Project management approach/methodology including management of risks • Hosting, maintenance and support arrangements Cultural Fit Criteria Demonstrate how your values align with TPO's: Fair, Collaborative, Open, Showing respect, building trust and keep learning Payment Approach Fixed price Assessment Method • Work history • Reference • Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 55% Cultural fit 5% Price 40% Questions from Suppliers 1. As this is a website rebuild would you consider utilising a different platform (other than wordpress) if the new site was hosted, secured and provided bu the supplier – or must it be word press only? Our existing platform is Wordpress, so this is where our expertise lies. However, we are open to suppliers suggesting alternative platforms which is why ‘Experience of designing and building websites using Wordpress, our existing platform’ is a ’nice to have’ rather than an essential criteria. 2. Is this budget and opportunity for Discovery only? No, the budget is to cover all phases to live, including a ‘lean approach’ to discovery. 3. Are you fixed on the new being developed on the Wordpress platform or can other CMS's be used? Not at all. Our existing platform is Wordpress, so this is where our expertise lies. However, we are open to suppliers suggesting alternative platforms which is why ‘Experience of designing and building websites using Wordpress, our existing platform’ is a ’nice to have’ rather than an essential criteria. 4. Is WordPress a requirement? or are you open to other Content Management Systems? Our existing platform is Wordpress, so this is where our expertise lies. However, we are open to suppliers suggesting alternative platforms which is why ‘Experience of designing and building websites using Wordpress, our existing platform’ is a ’nice to have’ rather than an essential criteria. 5. Is there a preference for a particular platform to base this on? Is WordPress going to be ok? Wordpress is fine – it is our existing platform and the one we are most familiar with. However, we are open to suppliers suggesting alternative platforms which is why ‘Experience of designing and building websites using Wordpress, our existing platform’ is a ’nice to have’ rather than an essential criteria. 6. Do you want to redevelop it using Wordpress still? Developing the website in Wordpress is not an essential criteria. It is our existing platform and the one we have most expertise in. But we are open to suppliers suggesting alternative platforms. 7. Are you able to expand on the portal development project and the integration required (if any) or is it purely to just hyperlink to it? Our portal for application/complaint processing is a separate project developed using a Dynamics 365 system, which has a web portal extension. There will simply be hyperlinks from our website to the portal (no APIs). From a user’s perspective, the look and feel of moving from the website to the portal needs to be seamless but any changes needed to the branding would be done by a third-party supplier, so there may be some cross-over work in terms of design files being shared. But apart from that, there is no further integration needed. 8. Is the complaint processing functionality you mention in scope, or is this undertaken in a different system? Our portal for application/complaint processing is out of scope for this project and is a separate project developed using a Dynamics 365 system which has a web portal extension. There will simply be a hyperlink from our website to the portal. From a user’s perspective, the look/feel of moving from the website to the portal needs to be seamless. 9. With regards to your existing site editor, what is their competency level in WordPress and experience? Should we assume handover or training sessions will be needed, or are they experienced enough to assume self-sufficiency after a 'handover' for on-going content updates etc.? We have a handful of people authorised to publish on the website, including some new starters. It would useful therefore to incorporate one brief training session/guidance notes to go through new architecture etc. 10. Can you confirm the expectation regarding migration of existing content. Do you see the supplier completing all of this, or the supplier creating the new Information Architecture and required templates, for you to move/re-work the content? We have a number of pdfs on our existing site, for example our determinations and publications – Annual reports and Corporate plans. We would want the supplier to migrate these pdfs along with the associated metadata. Written content on web pages would be moved/reworked by us. 11. In order for us to evauate this opportunity robustly, can you please provide data on the time and costs involved in emailing 500 randomly-selected suppliers representing large, medium, small and micro suppliers, evauating their responses and using this to formulate your project? Can you please also inlcude the likely costs and time expended by those of the 500 that responded? The pre-tender market engagement (PTME) exercise was to help us understand our requirements better so we could write clearer requirements for suppliers. We have published a summary of the outcomes of this exercise. Your requested details are not relevant to the opportunity and determination of the technical solution or costs, we were simply referencing the PTME engagement we carried out. 12. Can you provide any of the output from the existing Google Analytics captured data? Please follow the link to see Google analytic snapshots for the last three months - https://www.dropbox.com/s/70c0li9h806xkz1/Google analytics snapshots - 3 months.pdf?dl=0The successful supplier will have access to more detailed data. 13. Where in the response sections are we to include an outline project plan and proposed costs? There doesn't appear to be a specific question/answer section and space is very tight to answer any of the questions whilst providing evidence also? At this stage, we don’t need you to do that. You need to go through the essential and nice-to-have criteria first. If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, we will ask you to provide details of your project plan and provide costs. 14. Hello, Is the £70,000 exclusive of VAT? Yes, it’s exclusive of VAT 15. can you confirm where in the responses we are to place project plan, estimates and costs as I cannot find a specific question and the word count will not allow this information in addition to answering specific questions At this stage, we don’t need you to do that. You need to go through the essential and nice-to-have criteria first. If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, we will ask you to provide details of your project plan and provide costs.