Beta - domestic consumer energy efficiency advice service

Tender description

Why the Work is Being Done Improving the energy efficiency of homes in the UK is important in achieving carbon targets and reducing consumer bills. Accurate, impartial advice is the crucial first step for consumers. Advice can include recommendations of measures consumers could take to improve the energy efficiency of their property, as well as an indication of eligibility for and referral routes for available support. BEIS currently provides the phone-only Energy Saving Advice Service. The requirement is to take this digital service to public beta. Problem to Be Solved Understanding energy efficiency improvements can be complex for consumers, needing to take into account the characteristics of a property and its occupants. There can be an information gap between consumers seeking to make improvements and being able to confidently take action. Eligibility for financial support can vary depending on individual circumstances, the property and its location. Referral routes can be complex and so discourage consumers from taking action. A digital service could reach a broader audience than the existing phone service; although some consumers will require assistance with the digital service. Who Are the Users All domestic property occupiers are potential users. They need tailored advice based on their property and personal circumstances, and access to direct referrals to schemes providing support. Users that are not to be prioritised in the first publically-available beta include landlords, and suppliers and installers of energy efficiency measures. There will also be an assisted element for users unable to use the digital service sitting alongside and using the same systems and data as the digital service. Early Market Engagement Work Already Done Discovery identified a role for government in being a trusted source of impartial advice. Discovery recommended: a) a product prioritising users at a trigger point, in fuel poverty, and those seeking to reduce bills or improve comfort; b) an assisted digital service sit alongside the digital service. Alpha refined the user personas and built a prototype end-to-end advice service based on this, incorporating an inference engine to estimate bill savings. It also incorporated elements for consumers seeking to replace their boiler, or access finance for energy efficiency improvements. Links have been established with implementation of the Each Home Counts review Existing Team The procured team will be working with employees of BEIS who will act as Service Manager and Product Owner. BEIS follows GDS Technology Code of Practice and also has its own Architectural Principles. The supplier will have to ensure that the solution is designed in alignment with these standards and approved by BEIS Design Authority. Current Phase Beta Work Location The team are based at BEIS offices, 1 Victoria Street, London. We anticipate work may take place both here and at the successful supplier’s offices. Working Arrangments The successful team would be open to co-locate with the BEIS policy team at BEIS HQ for at least part of the working week. Actual arrangements will be agreed at the outset of Beta. The service will be delivered in an agile way based on scrum principles which encourages open and fluid communication across the team. We expect the supplier to suggest and manage the approach that enables this, and we anticipate daily stand-ups along with regular show-and-tells. Users and stakeholders are across England and Wales so there will be a requirement to engage users from different regional areas. Security Clearance Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Additional T&Cs Skills & Experience Experience of building easy-to-use consumer-facing responsive web applications that will run on different sized devices. Experience of conducting and documenting user testing, and using findings to iterate project outputs and software development. Experience producing content for public-facing websites, including text, graphical and video content. Communicating complex issues using clear and concise language in both written and verbal ways to a variety of audiences and expertise levels. Proven experience delivering projects using agile project management methodologies, particularly in developing and iterating prototypes based on user testing, and developing prototypes into functional beta sites suitable for public use. Experience of developing digital services considering the needs of industry stakeholders. Experience developing a digital service to integrate seamlessly with an assisted element provided by a separate supplier. Proven track record of delivering complex software projects in the UK government sector in line with the GDS Digital Service Standard. Experience working with multiple data sources to analyse how they relate to each other, and how to get maximum service value from them. Demonstrable knowledge of the issues surrounding domestic energy efficiency, particularly in respect of consumer advice and consumer energy usage. Understanding of both legal and data protection issues in using personal data with good understanding of issues arising from adoption of GDPR. Nice to Haves Awareness of recent technological developments in energy generation, energy efficiency measures and energy usage measurements, particularly with reference to ‘smart’ technology. Experience of working across multiple government departments, including data-sharing protocol. A familiarity with the principles of behavioural insight and behavioural change. Experience of applying these principles to consumer-facing services, particularly online. Coaching, mentoring and upskilling people in agile techniques and roles to build capability within existing teams. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 6 Proposal Criteria Approach and methodology Technical solution Proposed programme of work and estimated timeframes Team structure (with roles and responsibilities) Value for money proposition Cultural Fit Criteria Working transparently and collaboratively across government. A collaborative and sharing approach, actively seeking input from colleagues and stakeholders. Adept at communicating technical ideas with non-technical clients, both in writing and verbally. Proactive, willing to suggest and incorporate own ideas into the project with buyer’s support. Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Written proposal Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 15% Price 25% Questions from Suppliers Budget range our maximum budget for the 12 weeks of work is for approximately £450k exclusive of vat. however, we anticipate that should the successful supplier elect to use resources created during alpha, that figure would be significantly reduced. this figure includes content development, to include extensive text and video.