Programming services of packaged software products

Tender description

Essex County Council delivers a wide range of email activity including newsletters and bulletins as well as targeted behavioural change and marketing campaigns which rely on segmentation and automation. Currently there are over 250 000 email subscribers across more than 100 topics. We are looking for an email communication/marketing platform that will allow us to continue to develop our approach and increase our subscribers and reach within the county and beyond. In the last year, there were over 1.3 million emails sent by Essex County Council. We are looking to gain vital market research to inform our specification for a following procurement exercise due to be released in 2021. Market engagement sessions will take place remotely via MS Teams w/c 2 November, in 1 ½ hour sessions. ECC will engage with a maximum of 6 suppliers. If supplier interest exceeds the number of sessions available, suppliers will be selected to participate based on relevant experience and response to question. An agenda will be published prior and sent to all attendees. Please note we will be recording each session for our further use and review. Please email ben.patterson@essex.gov.uk with expressions of interest by no later than 17.00 on Friday the 23rd of October. Please include company and contact details. Minimum functional requirements: The minimum functional requirements are subject to development and must include, but are not limited to, the below. The platform must accommodate: • a minimum of 240 000 subscribers; • a minimum of 120 different topics; • a minimum of 125 administrative users; • the ability to define levels of access for administrative users e.g. specific topic access only; • a minimum of 92 email templates (the template must be diversified and unique); • the ability to send a minimum of 3 555 000 bulletins per year. The platform functionality must include: • the ability to enable user/business unit to configure a branded sign-up page (look and feel shall be configurable by user). This is in addition to an account wide sign up page; • the ability to track subscriber consent to any subscription (through manual upload and direct sign ups); • the ability to track and report on sent bulletins/new letter e.g. number clicks, delivery reports, read report; etc. • the ability to integrate with ECC systems such as ECC websites using API calls; • the ability to use AB testing (split testing) when sending out bulletins or newsletters. The system shall comply with GDPR and PECR (this means the user data must be held within EEA or UK, any other location will require standard clause in the contract). The supplier shall have the ability to run the platform/system training via online and face-to-face. The supplier shall have responsive support (via email by same day or up to 48hours) for queries. The supplier shall have a clear approach to account management.