CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

New web and design services for arts and culture in Pembrokeshire

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

1.0 Summary of the Brief

1.1 Pembrokeshire Inspired is inviting an experienced, imaginative and collaborative IT consultancy to tender for a contract to deliver:

• an app [to engage audiences across the county in its arts and county cultural offer through up-to-date what’s on information and related content] and

• a website [providing a platform for arts and cultural professionals in terms of continuous professional development, alongside a web version of the app in terms of what’s on information for audiences].

1.2 The app and website our audiences asked for, via pre-pandemic, public countywide consultation, sprang from a sense of isolation, a disconnect from access to cohesive arts and cultural opportunities, travel time issues and financial challenges. There is now an even greater need due to the Covid-19 crisis. It needs to assist in rejuvenating the arts, as the Covid-19 pandemic has undeniably had a detrimental effect on the sustainable future of the arts and with regard to access through the arts to enhanced learning opportunities, mental health and wellbeing for our audiences. We wish to assist and support the sector and our audiences in a process of rejuvenating and re-engagement through our exciting new app and website development.

1.3 The role requires the consultant to work collaboratively with the Core Team at Pembrokeshire Inspired and participate in some active co-creation work with audiences.

2.0 Introduction to Pembrokeshire Inspired:

2.1 Pembrokeshire Inspired is a consortia of cultural sector partners in receipt of LEADER European funding via the Welsh Government in Pembrokeshire which include a range of public, private, third and commercial sector partners namely:

Arwain Sir Benfro

PLANED

Pembrokeshire County Council

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Span Arts

Tenby Museum and Art Gallery

West Wales Art Centre

iDeA Architects Haverfordwest

See our Facebook site for an idea of how we have been trialling ideas to date https://www.facebook.com/YsbrydoliSirBenfroPembrokeshireInspired

3.0 Background and Context

3.1 The organisations involved in Pembrokeshire Inspired already have differing types of online presence and a degree of access to digital marketing, online sales and digital listings. However, the digital offering of each organisation is not common or shared across the group but instead serves a specific purpose to promote the individual organisations.

3.2 The people of Pembrokeshire, and those who visit the area, are also not uniform in their awareness of or access to physical and digital services, particularly so when it comes to arts.

3.3 Different businesses and organisations in the partnership do make use of digital sales and marketing, social media promotion, commercial technology, such as contactless payment, and have local digital records.

3.4 There is very limited use of shared technology platforms, and most organisations are running their IT through different partners with no overarching strategy to link them. The grassroots community provision across the county is strongly characterised by small local Facebook groups for villages and towns as well as Instagram use.

3.5 The public consultation and working groups that took place during 2019 reiterated that a gap exists in which potential consumers of cultural/arts offerings struggle to find the places and events that are available to them in the parts of the county that are accessible to them.

Team

Lead: Sue Davies Cultural & Heritage Associates

Commissioning body: Arwain Sir Benfro

Administrative co-ordinators: PLANED

Reference Material

The Core Team like the following examples:

For the ‘what’s on’ aspect of the brief

• Leeds Inspired website example www.leedsinspired.co.uk;

• Cardigan Town app via Google Play

For the arts/cultural professionals aspect of the brief

• Cornwall Museum Partnership https://www.cornwallmuseumspartnership.org.uk/

4.0 Requirement

4.1 The consultant’s direct point of contact will be the Project Manager Sue Davies. As part of the commission, the project plan needs to factor in time for working with the Pembrokeshire Inspired Team and with potential audiences/users, particularly young adults. The potential for co-creation with audiences in terms of content creation is a desirable outcome.

4.2 The Contractor will produce, deliver and launch an engaging easy to use/access app and website.

Both the app and website must:

• Be compliant to latest DDA/Equality Act guidelines and best practice on accessibility

• Be fully bilingual [Welsh and English]. Note this could be achieved by producing 2 separate apps and websites [i.e. one in English and one in Welsh which are otherwise identical] or a single app and a single website which contains both languages. The client preference is the former, particularly for the app where space will be at a premium.

• Provide Audience Analytics. The app and website should make use of data capture tools and provide full reporting on their reach

• Include rich and inspiring content. While the partnership group will be able to provide some content in terms of text, images and potentially some video content from their own organisations, an important part of this brief is the development of an overarching bold brand identity, consistent style, and consistent editorial approach to content on both the app and website

The website must:

• contain an appropriate live version of the app content [potentially slim line version] to enable audiences to access what’s on data without the app

• arts members’ password protected section [not for the public] with access to various pages of information including:

o mentoring

o continuous professional development offer;

o funding assistance

o arts awards opportunities

• Desirable feature - contain a sales ‘shop window’ e-commerce platform/functionality for artists and makers

The app must:

• Provide a one-stop shop of information about culture and arts ‘what’s on’ activity across Pembrokeshire including venues and venue-based activity, events and activities at non-traditional venues and outdoor spaces, online activities and events, etc., both paid and free.

• link to third party sites offering additional access and bookings/payment functionality for events (the partnership does not want to replicate existing services, but act as a hub for information)

• Be location sensitive/aware, highlighting events and activities that are close to the user’s location as well as providing other user selected filters beyond proximity

• Be easy to use and intuitive

• Available on all the major platforms - mobile adaptive

• An offline mode to allow users to access limited downloaded or cached information if network connectivity is absent

• Easy to upload and update information by a wide range of different events/activity approved providers and venues with new content on ‘whats on’. Ability to control who has authorization rights for publication

• Be flexible/modular in design to enable future developments over time

• Highly desirable - Be produced by actively working with audiences particularly young people on elements of co-creation especially in content creation .

4.3 For the successful candidate we shall make our Audience Agency Pembrokeshire report available detailing county audience demographics and their cultural access

4.4 On completion of the app and website:

• Comprehensive training must be provided to the core team in the functionality, management and maintenance of both the app and website, including written materials to enable the team to train others as and when needed

• Ownership and all copyright will be handed over in its entirety to Pembrokeshire Inspired who will be responsible for ongoing maintenance, updates and any further work

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=106143.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Contract budget: quotations should not exceed £22,000

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

Budget to cover all costs in delivering the commission, with no exclusions/additional costs and must include the first 12 months support and maintenance. An indication of support and maintenance costs beyond the first 12 months should also be provided but will not affect the scoring.

Table outlining of costs per person per day and how many days spent on each aspect of the the described methodology.

Confirmation of £5m Employers Liability (if applicable), £5m Public Liability and £1m Professional Indemnity Insurance is required

CVs of all personnel and 2 referees contact details and evidence of over 2 years' experience of relevant work and at least 2 examples of similar successful commissions.

13.0 Selection Process and Scoring Criteria

13.1 The company will be appointed based on the following evaluation criteria:

• Budget 30% (but any submission over £22,000 will be automatically disqualified). Include a table outlining costs per person per day and how many days will be spent on each aspect of the described methodology. The submission must include all costs including the first 12 months support and maintenance.

An indication of support and maintenance costs beyond the first 12 months should also be provided, but will not affect the scoring.

• Experience 20% - provide evidence of previous experience in delivering similar briefs and the experience of individuals who will be involved in delivering the contract

• Method statement 50% a detailed methodology explaining how the brief will be delivered to the required quality standards and within the budget and timetable restrictions.

Tenders should include details of the Contractor’s key staff who will be working on the project, including which team member would act as the project lead and the main point of contact. Information should also be provided on the Contractor’s team members’ roles within the project and the time inputs from each.

Confirmation of £5m Employers’ Liability Insurance (if applicable), £5m Public Liability and £1m Professional Indemnity Insurance is required

13.2 Where 2 or more tenders are close, we reserve the right to ask clarification questions and/or call companies for interview in order to make a final decision. Details of such will be provided at the time if required.

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

N/a

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

Please see attached document which gives the brief in full

5.0 Additional desirable features

5.1 Both app and website to make use of publicly available up to date information and data [e.g. through APIs or bots]. Enabling local events, if made available in the right format, to be automatically published. It is understood and expected that some form of human resource will be needed in the absence of such tools to populate data.

5.2 If possible, the solution should allow for live links to other sites to ensure that data can be kept up to date and kept fresh. It would be possible for a website to have iFrames and link through to live content in other locations.

5.3 The site could also make the most of publicly available information, such as the

TrawsCymru and TravelineCymru sites, tide-times etc to provide more interactive information about how to get to events by public transport or other means, and not just by signposting the event itself.

5.4 We envisage some form of subscription model for the professional arts community for access to different app and website functionality. A tiered approach might offer members the opportunity to exchange rights to the site for curation time, a low cost option for basic membership or for charities with low turnover, and a more expensive option that bring benefits and free entry to for example an annual arts prize.

6.0 Additional Considerations

6.1 An appropriate domain name may need to be procured for any web presence and this should be included in the tender price.

6.2 The procured provider will [if required] need to supply an appropriate database (or procure the same via a cloud provider) and APIs for Pembrokeshire Inspired.

6.3 The app and website must be secure with appropriate protections and backup systems to prevent malicious cyber threats, e.g. security firewall.

6.4 Compliance with the IT policies of partner organisations, including the Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park may be necessary.

6.5 Support for the latest iteration of web browsers should assume IE11 and higher, Edge, Safari 13 and higher, Chrome 80 and higher, & Firefox 73.

6.6 Cloud hosting preferred. UK data centres preferred and low carbon data centres.

7.0 Support and maintenance

7.1 Ongoing funding for the Pembrokeshire Inspired Partnership is uncertain and therefore the app and website should be designed in such a way as to minimize support and maintenance costs where possible

7.2 The first 12 months support and maintenance should be included in the tender price, indicating the level of service provided.

7.3 The app and website should not be constructed in such a way that the supplier is the only company able to provide support and maintenance contracts

7.4 Services need to stay up to date with the major platforms used to download or access the chosen tools, such as the Apple Store/Google Play, as well as major browser releases by Microsoft, Google, Apple and Firefox.

8.0 Key Sources of Information

Index of existing partnership websites:

https://www.torchtheatre.co.uk

https://www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/default.asp?PID=4

http://www.span-arts.org.uk

https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/

http://www.idea-housekit.co.uk/

http://www.peppers-hub.co.uk/art-gallery-2/

https://www.haverfordwest-town-museum.org.uk/

https://www.arwainsirbenfro.cymru/

https://www.planed.org.uk/

https://www.tenbymuseum.org.uk

Many of the above websites also have social media accounts associated with them. Throughout the county there is a plethora of other arts and cultural organisations with their own websites and social media presences across all art forms including but not exhaustively listed below individual artists, commercial art galleries, festivals as well as bodies such as:

Pembrokeshire Craft Makers www.Pembrokeshirecraftmakers.co.uk

Newport Collective www.Newportcollective.co.uk

North Pembrokeshire Open Studios www.npopenstudios.co.uk

Artists Pembrokeshire www.artpembrokeshire.co.uk

Theatr Gwaun www.Theatrgwaun.com

Queens Hall Narberth www.Thequeenshall.org.uk

Narberth Museum www.Narberthmusuem.co.uk

Milford Haven Museum www.Milford Haven Museum.co.uk

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre www.Sunderlandtrust.com

Fishguard International Music www.fishguardmusicfestival.com

Festival

Fishguard Folk Festival www.fishguard-folk-music.co.uk

Fishguard Jazz Festival www.aberjazz.com

St Davids Cathedral Festival www.stdavidscathedralfestival.co.uk

Tenby Blues Festival www.tenbyblues.co.uk

Solva Edge Festival www.edgefestival.co.uk

The Big Retreat Festival www.thebigretreatwales.co.uk

Llangwm Literary Festival

Penfro Book Festival www.penfrobookfestival.org.uk

Narberth Food Festival

9.0 Reporting Milestones - Indicative Timetable

Tender period 30 Nov 2020 to 21 Dec 2020

Appoint successful company W/C 4 Jan 2021 [unless interviews required]

Project inception meeting Early/mid Jan 2021 to be confirmed

Design, co-creation, production Mid-Jan to end of March 2021

Testing and changes April/May 2021

Finalization and approval to app stores May/June 2021

Training and project completion June 2021

9.1 The above timetable should be seen as indicative and tenders should include a full timetable proposal. Any subsequent variations in the timetabling will need to be agreed in advance with Arwain Sir Benfro/Planed and confirmed in writing by the Project Manager

9.2 The indicative timeline is designed to align with the current timelines for delivery of the overall Pembrokeshire Inspired project which must be completed by the end of June 2021.

(WA Ref:106143)

Relates to the following project/programme financed by EU Community Funds: LEADER Funded rural development programme project via the Welsh Government www.gov.wales/leader; Local Action Group Arwain Sir Benfro www.arwainsirbenfro.cymru

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice