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02 Contract Notice

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Services

  • First published: 27 December 2023
  • Last modified: 27 December 2023
  • This file may not be fully accessible.

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To record your interest or obtain additional information or documents please find instructions within the Full Notice Text. (NOTE: Contract Award Notices and Prior Information Notices do not normally require a response)

Contents

Summary

OCID:
ocds-kuma6s-137595
Published by:
Transport for Wales
Authority ID:
AA50685
Publication date:
27 December 2023
Deadline date:
26 January 2024
Notice type:
02 Contract Notice
Has documents:
No
Has SPD:
No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:
No

Abstract

2.1 This contract will help us develop and build our SEO strategy and deliver key SEO activities over a long-term relationship to cement our position as the go to organisation for travel in Wales and the borders. 2.2 Our key objectives are to Increase revenue, Enhance customer experience and Drive modal shift. As our SEO partner this may take the form of: - Building a solid Technical SEO platform. To ensure that the tfw.wales website is functioning as fast and as smooth as possible to be able to support demand of traffic levels and use of different devices. - Assessing on site SEO. To ensure we are found by users, important content is visible and the information is available and clear. - Identifying off site SEO opportunities and helping us leverage them. 2.3 As an organization we have a portfolio of 30+ websites/apps that are under our control. We’re currently in the middle of our ‘1 domain’ project which involves us closing down our subsites and absorbing them into our main website (tfw.wales) to create a ‘one stop shop’ website and app for users in Wales and the borders. Throughout this strategy we’ll need support to boost our main site’s SEO performance as well as optimizing the integration process as subsites are absorbed. 2.4 We’re responsible for ensuring all of our digital estate is available completely in Welsh, accessible, on brand and user friendly. The appointed SEO agency would be expected to take these criteria into account for any strategy, tactics or actions recommended or undertaken. 2.5 Main sites: - Tfw.wales | trc.cymru – This is our main website that we wish to maintain and build authority for. - tickets.trc.cymru/ | tocynnau.trc.cymru/ Our booking engine site that will also need to be maintained, however we wish to funnel users in via tfw.wales. 2.6 Subsites: Here is a selection of our smaller sites that will be absorbed, there may be others as our strategy progresses. - https://www.journeycheck.com/tfwrail/ - https://www.traveline.cymru/ - https://traws.cymru/ - https://www.pullmanrail.co.uk/ - https://news.tfw.wales/ - https://portal.tfw.wales/ 2.7 We’re looking to appoint a partner to help us build our SEO strategy and deliver the requirements of this contract with the following key areas of focus:  1. Strategic SEO direction and specialist expertise  2. Technical SEO activities  3. Onsite SEO activities  4. Offsite SEO activities  5. General activities CPV: 72000000, 72000000, 72222000.

Full notice text

Contract notice

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1) Name and addresses

Transport for Wales

3 Llys Cadwyn, Taff Street

Pontypridd

CF37 4TH

UK

Telephone: +44 2921673434

E-mail: procurement@tfw.wales

NUTS: UKL

Internet address(es)

Main address: http://tfw.wales

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA50685

I.2) Joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

I.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk


Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address


Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk


Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk


I.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

I.5) Main activity

Other: Transportation

Section II: Object

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Services

Reference number: C000845.00

II.1.2) Main CPV code

72000000

 

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

2.1 This contract will help us develop and build our SEO strategy and deliver key SEO activities over a long-term relationship to cement our position as the go to organisation for travel in Wales and the borders.

2.2 Our key objectives are to Increase revenue, Enhance customer experience and Drive modal shift.

As our SEO partner this may take the form of:

- Building a solid Technical SEO platform. To ensure that the tfw.wales website is functioning as fast and as smooth as possible to be able to support demand of traffic levels and use of different devices.

- Assessing on site SEO. To ensure we are found by users, important content is visible and the information is available and clear.

- Identifying off site SEO opportunities and helping us leverage them.

2.3 As an organization we have a portfolio of 30+ websites/apps that are under our control. We’re currently in the middle of our ‘1 domain’ project which involves us closing down our subsites and absorbing them into our main website (tfw.wales) to create a ‘one stop shop’ website and app for users in Wales and the borders. Throughout this strategy we’ll need support to boost our main site’s SEO performance as well as optimizing the integration process as subsites are absorbed.

2.4 We’re responsible for ensuring all of our digital estate is available completely in Welsh, accessible, on brand and user friendly. The appointed SEO agency would be expected to take these criteria into account for any strategy, tactics or actions recommended or undertaken.

2.5 Main sites:

- Tfw.wales | trc.cymru – This is our main website that we wish to maintain and build authority for.

- tickets.trc.cymru/ | tocynnau.trc.cymru/

Our booking engine site that will also need to be maintained, however we wish to funnel users in via tfw.wales.

2.6 Subsites: Here is a selection of our smaller sites that will be absorbed, there may be others as our strategy progresses.

- https://www.journeycheck.com/tfwrail/

- https://www.traveline.cymru/

- https://traws.cymru/

- https://www.pullmanrail.co.uk/

- https://news.tfw.wales/

- https://portal.tfw.wales/

2.7 We’re looking to appoint a partner to help us build our SEO strategy and deliver the requirements of this contract with the following key areas of focus:

 1. Strategic SEO direction and specialist expertise

 2. Technical SEO activities

 3. Onsite SEO activities

 4. Offsite SEO activities

 5. General activities

II.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: 360 000.00  GBP

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

72000000

72222000

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UKL

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

2.7 We’re looking to appoint a partner to help us build our SEO strategy and deliver the requirements of this contract with the following key areas of focus:

 1. Strategic SEO direction and specialist expertise

 2. Technical SEO activities

 3. Onsite SEO activities

 4. Offsite SEO activities

 5. General activities

1. Strategic SEO direction and specialist expertise

 Collaborating with us to define the long-term vision of TfW’s online SEO presence.

 Collaborating with us to develop the long-term direction of our SEO strategy to help us achieve that vision.

 Develop a robust set of Key Performance Indicators for SEO performance and report on this performance regularly.

 Developing impactful SEO activity that helps to achieve our 3 key objectives outlined above and build our distinctive brand to help us own our digital space.

 Define our current keyword position and future positioning for different topics that we wish to be an authority on. Including but not limited to rail, bus, walking/wheeling and cycling in Wales.

 Providing expert advice and guidance on strategic SEO development. Including industry developments i.e. algorithm changes and how we should adapt our strategy/tactics.

 Collaborating with stakeholders and our network of experts / specialists across other brand and marketing activities to ensure campaign work is maximized for SEO impact. For example collaborating with our campaigns agency Golley Slater to ensure marketing campaigns are optimized for SEO.

 Drawing on best-in-class knowledge and expertise by working with specialist advisers, agencies, consultants, and suppliers when needed. For example coordinating with third party UI/UX experts to help us undertake audits of areas on our website.

2. Technical SEO activities | Including but limited to

 Audit and technical assessment of our websites and provide steps to improve performance. For example, image resizing. Providing a list of images on the website that would benefit from being optimized and providing instructions for a developer or content publisher to achieve this.

 Collaborate with our development teams, both in house and third party, to fix technical SEO issues.

 Manage search consoles, submitting optimised site maps and other associated activities.

3. Onsite SEO activities | Including but limited to

 Audit on-site content from an SEO point of view and make recommendations to improve performance and measure impact.

 Make User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI) recommendations that will improve performance and measuring impact.

 Assessing a user journey or webpage for Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) making recommendations for improving performance and measuring the impact.

 Making recommendations/implementing internal linking that increases performance and measuring the impact.

 Making recommendations/implementing changes to metadata that increases performance and measuring the impact.

 Making recommendations/implementing on-brand tone of voice changes to written content to increase performance and measure the impact.

4. Offsite SEO | Including but limited to

 Ability to effectively audit our offsite SEO performance and make recommendations to improve.

 Demonstrable experience of building backlinks with relevant and high-ranking domains.

 Demonstrable experience of digital PR with relevant and high-ranking domains increasing an aspect of authority for a given subject.

5. General activity | Included but limited to

- Agreement of a preferred way of working. We often work in agile sprints for website releases.

- Agreement to a standard set of Management Information and reporting. We have Google Analytics 4 and a comprehensive dashboard set up that can provide information on the relevant KPI’s. We would ask that any supplier also uses this source of information.

II.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months: 36

This contract is subject to renewal: Yes

Description of renewals:

Option to extend for up to two periods of 12 months each.

II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited

II.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

II.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

II.2.13) Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

II.2.14) Additional information

Procurement documentation available via the eTender Wales platform with project code project_55250

- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Services and ITT reference itt_107880

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1) Conditions for participation

III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

List and brief description of conditions:

As per the tender documentation.

III.1.2) Economic and financial standing

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents


III.1.3) Technical and professional ability

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents


III.2) Conditions related to the contract

III.2.2) Contract performance conditions

As per the tender documentation.

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2) Administrative information

IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date: 26/01/2024

Local time: 12:00

IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

EN

CY

IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 29/01/2024

Local time: 12:00

Place:

Remotely

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: Yes

Estimated timing for further notices to be published:

The earliest of date procurement will be in three years following contract award.

VI.2) Information about electronic workflows

Electronic ordering will be used

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

VI.3) Additional information

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=137595

(WA Ref:137595)

The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia.

VI.4) Procedures for review

VI.4.1) Review body

High Court

Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

UK

Telephone: +44 2079477501

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice

27/12/2023

Coding

Commodity categories

ID Title Parent category
72222000 Information systems or technology strategic review and planning services Systems and technical consultancy services
72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support Computer and Related Services
85 Transport for Wales Sell2Wales Projects

Delivery locations

ID Description
1017 Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot
1022 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
1015 Central Valleys (Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf)
1013 Conwy and Denbighshire
1020 East Wales
1023 Flintshire and Wrexham
1016 Gwent Valleys (Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly)
1012 Gwynedd
1011 Isle of Anglesey
1021 Monmouthshire and Newport
1024 Powys
1014 South West Wales (Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion)
1018 Swansea
1000 WALES
1010 West Wales and The Valleys

Alert region restrictions

The buyer has restricted the alert for this notice to suppliers based in the following regions.

ID Description
There are no alert restrictions for this notice.

About the buyer

Main contact:
procurement@tfw.wales
Admin contact:
N/a
Technical contact:
N/a
Other contact:
N/a

Further information

Date Details
No further information has been uploaded.

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