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Procurement details

Procurement details: RM1043.8-1-Cabinet Office Development of Find a Grant

9

Applications submitted

£2500000

Indicative Budget

Outside scope

Off-payroll status

24 February 2023

Application Closing Date

1. Context and requirements

About adding context and requirements: test
Pre-market engagement: N/A
Work done so far: The Find a Grant programme was initiated in summer 2021 and has been through Discovery, Alpha and Private Beta phases. Find a grant was made public in April 2022, and hosts a number of schemes from across government - with this volume expected to increase significantly with the turn of the financial year, due to a Ministerial mandate. Apply for a grant - the streamlined application service - was made public in September 2022 and been piloted with a number of schemes.
Which phase the project is in: Beta
Existing team: The existing team is a carefully selected, small team of Civil Servants who oversee and monitor delivery of the programme. The Find a Grant programme has an incumbent supplier that helped to deliver the Alpha and Beta phases for its services.
Address where the work will be done: Cabinet Office: 1 Atlantic Square, Glasgow, G2 8HS.
Working arrangements: The majority of the work will be remote or at the Supplier's office base, to reduce the cost and environmental impact of travelling. Occasional face-to-face full team meetings would be required e.g. once a quarter. Weekly contract management meetings will mainly be virtual but should be face-to-face once a month. The Supplier will not be reimbursed for travelling to meetings, unless they are required to travel away from the programme's base in Glasgow.
Provide more information about your security requirements: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)
Provide more information about your security requirements (optional): BPSS for all individuals is essential prior to commencing any work with us on this programme. The supplier must be willing to undertake further security checks if required (CTC and SC clearance only).
Latest start date: 2023-04-11
Enter the expected contract length: 1 year
Extension period
Special terms and conditions: N/A
Write the term or acronym: GGMF
Write the term or acronym: GGIS
Write the term or acronym: GDS
Write the term or acronym: UR
Write the term or acronym: API
Write the term or acronym: WCAG2.1
Explain the term or acronym: means the Government Grants Management Function
Explain the term or acronym: means the Government Grants Information System
Explain the term or acronym: means the Government Digital Service
Explain the term or acronym: means User Research
Explain the term or acronym: means Application Programming Interface
Explain the term or acronym: means Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1
Are you prepared to show your budget details?: Yes
Indicative maximum: 2500000
Indicative minimum
Provide further information: This is a maximum of £2.5m (excluding VAT) over 12 months.
Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource: Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply
Summary of work: - The supplier would be expected to pick up the backlog for Find a Grant, adding additional features which have been identified during the pilot. These will focus on user experience and interoperability. - The supplier will be required to provide technical support to users of the service throughout the engagement. - The supplier will be required to build a live dashboard, supporting the requirement to evaluate and report on the benefits of the service, building on the theory of change and metrics already developed. Functional Requirements Find a Grant - Core Service Developments - Move the existing registration component from Apply for a Grant into Find a Grant, to precede the application process, and test this new user journey. - Liaise with the Government’s One Login team to optimise the registration and login journey in the longer term. - Work on the existing prioritised backlog, to iterate the service and add additional features which have already been identified through user research and testing. Examples include: reordering questions in the application form builder, enabling applicants to download their submitted applications, facilitating collaboration on applications for multiple users, and adding an eligibility checker at the start of the application process. - Add additional functionality identified through the Agile process, subject to scope agreement between the Authority and the Supplier and within the time and budgetary constraints of the contract. - Build a live reporting dashboard, to gather and present data on benefits, as well as service performance. Interoperability - Develop the existing interface with Spotlight, to a fully automated process, drawing on the open API in Spotlight. - Develop an open API which will enable grant administration systems to automatically receive application forms from the service. This should be tested - at least theoretically - with a minimum of three of the most commonly used grant administration systems. - Develop an interface with the Government Grants Information System (GGIS), which is built on Salesforce and contains all grant information. General Requirements User research (UR): Suppliers should build on the extensive UR undertaken so far and undertake further UR as required to test and iterate the service. UR should be completed to the standard acceptable to meet the GDS Service Standard or equivalent devolved government digital standards as a minimum. Accessibility: Accessibility is crucial to the approach the Cabinet Office takes in designing and building services. Find a Grant has already met level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and any further developments should meet this standard, as a minimum. Security: The service holds personal and potentially sensitive information about users/organisations. Find a Grant has been built to industry standard security principles as well as the standard set by the Cabinet Office and further developments must reach the same standards. - To maintain information security, the service provider will be required, as a minimum, to: - Actively identify security and privacy threats to the service, and have a robust, proportionate approach to securing information and managing fraud risks. - Process users’ personal information in a way that is consistent with the Data Protection Act 2018 and any associated guidance. - Follow the guidance about using cookies or similar technologies. - Use an approach to identity assurance and authentication that balances the risks in a proportionate way (for services that need identity assurance or authentication). - Carry out appropriate vulnerability and penetration testing. Performance/Reliability: The services provided under this contract should meet high standards in terms of availability and performance. Suppliers should be ready to publish and support the evaluation of metrics which have already been built into the service. They should also: - Maximise uptime and speed of response of the service. - Be able to deploy software changes regularly, without significant downtime. - Carry out quality assurance testing regularly and comply with Cabinet Office assurance requirements. - Test the service in an environment that’s as similar to live as possible. - Have appropriate monitoring in place, together with a proportionate, sustainable plan to respond to problems identified by monitoring. - Actively work towards fixing any organisational or contractual issues which make it difficult to maximise availability. Intellectual property and branding: The intellectual property rights over Find a Grant belong to the Cabinet Office. Developments should be fully documented in Cabinet Office systems and any written artefacts produced through the contract should have GGMF branding. *Timeline: please ignore the contract award / supplier start dates listed in the competition timeline. An indicative timeline is attached in the uploaded documents, subject to change.
Where the supplied staff will work: Scotland
Who the organisation using the products or services is: All Government Departments, All Arms-Length Bodies,External Individuals and Organisations
Why the work is being done: The GGMF has recently concluded a programme to build a pilot digital service to simplify how organisations and members of the public can find and apply for grants. Find a Grant is the public-facing brand for the service, which also includes non-public services to streamline the application process, for both grant applicants and administrators. The pilot has been successfully delivered and had an interim evaluation, which indicated that Find a Grant could realise significant financial efficiencies and other benefits, by automating a complex manual process to provide a single solution for government. The GGMF has also achieved a mandate from Ministers, so that all eligible general grants must be advertised on Find a Grant from April 2023.
The business problem you need to solve: Grants are difficult to find and time-consuming to apply for. Administration of grants is inconsistent and costly, due to multiple - often manual - systems and processes.
First user type: Applicant
First user type: Grant Administrator
Enter more details about this user type: As an applicant, I need to quickly understand that I am eligible for a grant, so I don’t waste time and resources. As an applicant, I need a consistent process across different applications, so to reduce the mental load of applying. As an applicant, I need to trust the system I am using, so I am not worried about losing my work. As an applicant, I need to reduce the amount of external paid for support I require to complete an application, so I can save time and resources to focus on outcomes. As an applicant, I need transparency throughout the process, so I have trust in the decision making process.
Enter more details about this user type: As an admin, I need to increase the competition for grants, so that I achieve better outcomes and value for money. As an admin, I need grant processes to be designed into systems, so I don’t have to wrap my work into other commercial services. As an admin, I need to reduce the risk for fraud, so that less government money goes to ‘bad actors’.

2. Assessment Criteria
About assessment criteria: test
Select your pricing model: Capped time and materials
Additional assessment methods: Presentation
Describe the question and answer session: N/A
Create your scoring criteria: 3
How many suppliers to evaluate: 3
Technical competence: 60
Cultural fit: 5
Social value: 10
Price: 25
Essential skills and experience: 50
Nice-to-have skills and experience (optional): 0
Technical questions: 50
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to demonstrate where you have designed digital services that are compliant with government standards, including accessibility standards.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to demonstrate your experience of designing citizen-facing digital services which are able to operate at a significant scale.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to demonstrate that you have sufficient digital capability and capacity - based in Glasgow - to respond to requirements which may fluctuate over the term of the contract.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to provide evidence of your experience and understanding of building Application Programme Interfaces (APIs).
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to demonstrate your recent and at least 5 years' experience of managing complex projects according to Agile methodology and user-centred design principles.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to demonstrate your experience of stakeholder engagement, including assisted digital users, through a range of methods, e.g. facilitated workshops.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to demonstrate your experience of working collaboratively in blended team environments whereby client team members are embedded as an integral part of the delivery team.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Describe the essential skill or experience:: You are required to provide evidence of how you look to transfer knowledge and up-skill teams, to ensure continuity of delivery.
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Describe the nice-to-have skill or experience:
Enter a weighting for this skill or experience in whole numbers, for example 30
Explain the technical question:: Evaluation of technical solution delivery and its meeting of the Requirements
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Explain the technical question:: Evaluation of the delivery approach and methodology
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Explain the technical question:: Assessment of the team and individuals' relevant knowledge and experience
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Explain the technical question:: Risk and Critical Success Factors (and how will these be successfully managed)
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 13
Explain the technical question:: Your approach to building multi-disciplinary teams
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Explain the technical question:: Your approach to conflict resolution (resources, stakeholders) and managing expectations
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Explain the technical question:: Assessment on value for money
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Explain the technical question:: Implementation Plan and estimated timeframes for the work
Enter a weighting for this technical question in whole numbers, for example 30: 12
Your question: Working as a team with our organisation and other suppliers
Enter a weighting for this question: 34
Your question: Sharing knowledge and experience with other team members
Enter a weighting for this question: 33
Your question: Your approach to the wellbeing of the team
Enter a weighting for this question: 33
Explain the social value question: Describe your existing and planned activities to tackle inequality and to improve diversity with respect to women and Under-Represented Groups in employment, skills and pay in the Contract Workforce.
Enter a weighting for this question: 100

3. Timeline
Publication of stage 1: February 6, 2023, 12:00 AM
Clarification period closes: February 16, 2023, 4:00 PM
Deadline for suppliers to submit their stage 1 responses: February 24, 2023, 4:00 PM

Clarification questions and responses

There are 13 questions and clarifications relating to this opportunity.

1. Can you please confirm the format of the document you want the response in?

Please upload your response on the system. As a guideline we would expect responses to each questions to be no more than 500 words long.

Last Updated: 20 February 2023, 13:15

2. Would we be provided with a reason why we got selected or not selected for the next round?

Feedback can be provided to any supplier on request.

Last Updated: 20 February 2023, 13:14

3. Can you confirm if this application will be hosted by the supplier, or will it be hosted by Cabinet Office digital team?

The services are hosted on Cabinet Office's AWS account.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:10

4. Can you please confirm what software technologies were used to implement the alpha and beta application?

The services uses the following tools: GitHub, React / Node.js, Java / Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, GovNotify, Cabinet Office Login Application (COLA), AWS.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:09

5. The document mentions ‘The supplier will be required to build a live dashboard, supporting the requirement to evaluate and report on the benefits of the service, building on the theory of change and metrics already developed’. Can you please specify what is meant here by ‘theory of change’? Can you also provide the list of metrics already developed, and confirm what further metrics will require to be implemented?

Theory of Change is a standard methodology for monitoring and evaluation and is the basis for the interim evaluation report. This report is not in the public domain but will be provided to the successful bidder.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:09

6. The document mentions that ‘the pilot has been successfully delivered and had an interim evaluation’. For us to be able to properly evaluate our abilities to deliver this solution can you provide full details of and a copy of this interim evaluation report.

This is not in the public domain but will be provided to the successful bidder.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:08

7. Can you provide further details of the ‘mandate from ministers so that all eligible grants must be advertised on Find a Grant from April 2023’?

In January 2023, the Home Affairs Committee took the decision to mandate that all government departments and arms-length bodies must advertise eligible general grants on Find a Grant, from April 2023.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:08

8. The document mentions that ‘the supplier will be expected to pick up the backlog for Find a Grant, adding addition features that have been identified during the pilot’. For us to be able to achieve this, can you please provide full details of the ‘backlog’ and the initial specification of requirements to which the supplier was working, along with the list of the identified additional features to be added? This will allow us to review where the project currently sits against initial requirements and ascertain how much additional work remains.

Because the current development phase is not complete and in line with the Agile process, we cannot specify exactly what will be in the backlog at the start of this contract. We have specified the main areas and skills that are required e.g. experience in government digital development, AWS and APIs. The second stage of the procurement invites bidders to quote against specified deliverables, for comparative purposes.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:07

9. The document mentions that ‘suppliers should build on extensive UR undertaken so far’. For us to be able to achieve this we require that you provide full details and copies of the user research that has been carried out.

This is not in the public domain but will be provided to the successful bidder.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:07

10. Your brief mentions Spotlight eg "Develop the existing interface with Spotlight, to a fully automated process, drawing on the open API in Spotlight." Please identify the specific technology referred to as Spotlight. Is this a CMS, CRM, reporting product etc. Further, please confirm if existing knowledge and use of Spotlight is a mandatory, pre-requisite or preferred or not scored when assessing responses.

Spotlight is a due diligence tool managed by the GGMF that complements existing pre- and post-award checks and highlights areas of risk to inform grant-making decisions. This tool is hosted on Salesforce. Knowledge of Salesforce and APIs is required, but we do not expect the supplier to have specific knowledge of Spotlight.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:06

11. In attachment 1, the "Nice to Have" experience can be interpreted as also including the social value question, however in attachment 3 the only questions stated are the Essential Skill & Experience questions. Can you confirm that Attachment 3 is accurate and that Stage 1 requires responses to the 8 questions listed only?

To clarify, Stage 1 only requires responses to the 8 'Essential' criteria listed in Attachment 3. There are no 'Nice to Have' criteria.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:05

12. Can you please confirm who the incumbent advisors are who have been building the portal so far?

The incumbent supplier is ANDIGITAL LIMITED.

Last Updated: 15 February 2023, 13:04

13. Would you please be able to disclose if you have an incumbent supplier in place?

Yes, the Find a Grant programme has an incumbent supplier currently in place that helped to deliver the Alpha and Beta phases for its services.

Last Updated: 13 February 2023, 11:29

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