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Overview of Requirement

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The client has issued an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the establishment of a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Website Design and Build Services. The DPS will be divided into two lots (can bid for either or both):

 

Lot 1 for WordPress

Lot 2 for Umbraco.

 

The contract duration is set for 4 years, commencing on October 30, 2023, and ending on October 29, 2027.

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The client seeks web companies to provide website design and development services on an ongoing, as-needed basis. This includes development on both Umbraco and WordPress CMS platforms. The average expenditure for new websites on WordPress is approximately £10,000 to £15,000, while Umbraco websites range from £25,000 to £35,000, depending on project complexity.

 

The DPS will enable the client to efficiently fulfil website-related requests from various departments and initiatives, with an estimated 20 to 30 projects across both lots during the contract period. Suppliers must adhere to the client's minimum standards for website development, and compliance with accessibility, security, and usability requirements is mandatory. Hosting, domain management, and support & maintenance are also part of the supplier's responsibilities.

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The client will ensure that all websites meet security standards, accessibility regulations, and SEO optimisation. The DPS offers exclusive access to further competitions, and suppliers will be given equal opportunities to quote on individual projects. 

 

Timeframes

 

• Deadline for Proposals: 9th October

• Start Date: 30th October 2023

• End Date: 29th October 2027

• Duration: 4 years

 

Bid Requirements

 

• Capability in CMS Platforms: Bidders must demonstrate expertise in either Umbraco and WordPress Content Management System (CMS) platforms.

• Responsive Web Development: Suppliers should have the ability to create responsive websites that adapt to various screen sizes and devices without compromising user experience.

• Compliance with Minimum Standards: Suppliers must adhere to the minimum standards for new websites, including branding, legal compliance, security, and other evolving criteria. These standards may change over time.

• Hosting and Domain Management: The supplier will be responsible for hosting websites, renewing domains, managing DNS records, and obtaining secure certificates when required for individual projects.

• User Acceptance Testing: Suppliers must ensure user acceptance testing is completed for each new website, covering aspects such as accessibility, usability, security scanning, cross-device and cross-browser compatibility, and compliance with minimum standards.

• Support & Maintenance: Suppliers must provide support and maintenance for any new website commissioned by the client throughout the entire contract duration. The cost of this support will be requested separately for each project.

• Security Compliance: Suppliers must keep the CMS (WordPress or Umbraco) up to date with the most recent stable version, apply critical security updates promptly, and manage any issues arising from the upgrade process.

• Transparent Development: All bespoke development work must adhere to Umbraco Documentation and/or WordPress Codex standards, be free from security vulnerabilities, and include documented source code.

• Performance Optimisation: Suppliers must optimise coding and design elements, including minifying JavaScript, CSS, and SVG files for production sites, and ensuring fast page load speeds.

• Accessibility and Compliance: Websites must meet accessibility standards, comply with W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and be usable with CSS, JavaScript, and cookies turned off.

• Data Protection and Privacy: Suppliers must handle personal data in adherence to the Data Protection Act (1998), display a cookie statement with options for acceptance or decline, and display privacy information.

• SEO Best Practices: Suppliers should follow SEO best practices, including optimising title tags and content, maintaining unique and non-duplicated content, implementing proper linking structures, and using canonical URLs.

• Technical Requirements: Suppliers must provide dynamic and XML sitemaps, implement 301 redirects for updated sites, and use semantic HTML.

 

Tender FAQ's

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What are the technical requirements for hosting websites?

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Websites must be hosted using approved hosting suppliers, including client servers (Windows 2016 servers) for Umbraco and third-party servers (PHP) for WordPress. Reputable third-party hosts may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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Which Content Management Systems (CMS) are accepted for this contract?

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The accepted CMS platforms are Umbraco (for core and corporate websites) and self-hosted WordPress (for community and partnership websites). 

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How should bespoke coding and development be handled?

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Custom code should adhere to Umbraco Documentation and WordPress Codex standards, prioritise security, and be well-documented. The source code must be provided, and black-boxed code is discouraged.

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What optimisation is required for coding and design elements?

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JavaScript, CSS, and SVG files should be minified for production sites. Non-content design elements should be optimised. Development and live operations should be conducted in separate environments.

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What are the page load speed expectations?

 

Pages should load quickly, with feedback within 0.1 second for user interactions, completion of simple tasks within 1 second, and any task taking longer than 10 seconds should provide progress indicators.

 

How should responsive design be implemented?

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A single responsive website must adapt to all screen sizes without the need for pinching or scrolling.

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What are the accessibility and usability standards?

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All websites must comply with Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018, W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (priority AA), and WAI-ARIA Guidelines 1.1. Sites should remain usable with CSS, JavaScript, and cookies disabled.

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How should security, secure certificates, and passwords be managed?

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Websites must use the client's wildcard certificate or preferred Certificate Authority, be TLS 1.2 compliant, and follow secure password storage practices, including encryption and salting.

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Are there requirements for SEO optimisation?

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Websites should have optimised title tags, unique content, structured linking, canonical URLs, semantic HTML, and must follow best practices for SEO, including keyword usage.

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What support and maintenance obligations exist for suppliers?

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Suppliers must keep the CMS up to date, apply critical security updates, manage upgrades, and resolve any issues arising from updates. Support & Maintenance contracts must be in place for all commissioned websites.

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Purchase the full client brief and details for just £49 - Whilst we don't have exclusivity over this tender we only sell to a maximum of 5 clients. 

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If you'd prefer to pay via BACS please call us on 01908 465274

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