Further Competition-2526-0045-Improving Islington online offer (Content Management systems CMS)-RM1043.8-1-DL472

Tender description

Which phase the project is in Discovery Existing team Core Internal Teams the Implementation Partner Will Collaborate With: Digital Communications and Engagement Involved in content strategy, stakeholder engagement, analytics, and communications planning. Product Design and UX Responsible for user research, interface design, wireframes, user testing, and accessibility compliance. Development and Technical Architecture Covers platform setup, integrations, infrastructure, and compliance with security standards. Project Support and Delivery Management Oversees project planning, procurement, risk management, and coordination across workstreams. Content Design and Editorial Focused on content creation, audits, templating, and continuous improvement processes. Security and Compliance Ensures the platform meets data protection, PCI DSS, and GDS/WCAG 2.2 standards. Unified Communications Supports technical build and integration aspects, particularly around infrastructure and alerting. Resident Experience Programme Governance Provides strategic oversight and prioritisation through the Digital Improvement workstream. Address where the work will be done Remotely Working arrangements No specific requirements related to working arrangements. The Implementation Partner will be required to closely collaborate with Islington's internal teams. The core working hours of the Council are 8am to 6pm. Provide more information about your security requirements: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Provide more information about your security requirements: The implementation partner will have access to resident data, including potentially sensitive or government-classified information. As such, all personnel assigned to the project must undergo pre-employment screening appropriate for access to 'Official' level government information. This includes verification of identity, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, a minimum of three years’ employment history, and disclosure of any unspent criminal convictions. Enhanced vetting beyond this level is not required and would only apply to roles involving access to highly sensitive government assets. Latest start date 2025-11-05 Enter the expected contract length: 1 year Extension period: 0 days Are you prepared to show your budget details?: No Indicative maximum: 0 Indicative minimum: 0 Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply Summary of work Islington Council is undertaking a project to replace its outdated website platform, Sitecore (introduced in 2015), with a modern, open-source alternative: LocalGov Drupal. The current system is end of life, making it vulnerable, unstable, and costly to maintain in relation to accessibility and development of new functionality. We are looking to procure professional services for the implementation of the LocalGov Drupal platform. The contract will run for 12 months. The procurement will be conducted via a two-tier competition under the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Digital Outcomes 6 (DOS 6) Framework. All participating suppliers have been pre-vetted as part of the procurement of the Framework. Where the supplied staff will work No specific location (for example they can work remotely) Why the work is being done Islington Council is embarking on a critical project to replace its outdated website platform, Sitecore, with LocalGov Drupal. Introduced in 2015, Sitecore has reached end-of-life, making it increasingly unstable, insecure, and costly to maintain—particularly in terms of accessibility and the development of new functionality. A comprehensive audit by an external Sitecore partner in 2022 identified significant limitations and security risks in the current platform. The audit recommended decommissioning Sitecore and migrating to a more modern, secure, and cost-effective solution. LocalGov Drupal was selected as it aligns with government digital standards and offers a robust, accessible, and mobile-friendly user experience. This transition will enable the Council to deliver better online services, reduce support incidents, and manage content more efficiently. To achieve this, we are procuring specialist implementation services. These services will provide the technical expertise required to build, configure, and integrate the new platform with existing systems, while ensuring compliance with legal, security, and accessibility standards. The partner will also support training and knowledge transfer to internal teams, ensuring long-term sustainability. This investment is essential to modernise our digital infrastructure, improve service delivery, and support our ambition to get more residents online while reducing operational costs. The business problem you need to solve Key Issues: End-of-life technology: The current CMS is no longer supported, making it vulnerable, unstable, and expensive to maintain—particularly in terms of accessibility and adding new features. Security vulnerabilities: An external audit identified significant risks due to legacy code and poor implementation practices. Poor user experience: The platform does not meet modern standards for accessibility, mobile responsiveness, or usability, leading to inconsistent and suboptimal digital experiences for residents. High maintenance burden: Continued use of the current system would require a shift to a more expensive subscription model and ongoing resource-intensive support. Limited internal capacity: The technical complexity of the project exceeds the current capabilities of in-house teams, necessitating external expertise. Strategic Objective: To implement a modern, secure, and accessible content management system—LocalGov Drupal—that aligns with government digital standards, improves service delivery, and supports long-term sustainability and cost-efficiency. First user type: Internal User I need to log in through Single Sign-On (SSO) and access training materials and user guides, So that I can use the system efficiently without repeatedly entering credentials and understand how to operate it confidently. Content Editor I need to create, edit, schedule, and manage content using accessible templates and media, So that I can publish accurate, up-to-date, and inclusive information for residents and site visitors. Content Publisher I need to manage and publish content across microsites, share content to social media, and monitor performance, So that I can maintain consistency, reach wider audiences, and ensure content effectiveness. Content Approver I need to review, approve, or reject content submissions and receive workflow notifications, So that only high-quality, policy-compliant content is published. System Administrator I need to manage user roles, monitor system performance, and ensure compliance with accessibility and security standards, So that the CMS operates securely, efficiently, and meets organisational and legal requirements. Manager I need to generate and schedule customised reports on content performance and user engagement, So that I can optimise the user experience and make informed decisions. Product Designer I need to access reusable components, integrate analytics tools, and monitor user behaviour, So that I can design user-friendly, data-informed content experiences. Site Visitor/Resident I need to search, filter, and access content on any device or browser, So that I can find relevant information and services quickly and easily. External Stakeholder I need to register and manage my own directory listings on the council website, So that I can keep my organisation’s information up to date and visible to the public. Questions and Clarifications 1. Can you confirm if hosting is to be on LBIs Azure infrastructure/subscription?" (i.e. we will be provided access to your Azure subscription to setup and manage as required) At this stage we are undecided whether we will host on LBIs Azure infrastructure/subscription or on a third-party Azure infrastructure/subscription. If we do host on LBIs Azure infrastructure/subscription the supplier will be given access to that subscription. Last Updated: 4 August 2025, 12:59 2. Microsites What microsites are in scope of this tender? Thanks For this tender we will want one microsite delivered with the assistance of the partner. Other microsites may be developed during the life of the contract but these would be the responsibility of our internal communications team to commission once the initial microsite has been delivered. The site will either be https://islingtonlife.london/ or https://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/ Last Updated: 28 July 2025, 16:18 3. Can you confirm if hosting is to be on LBIs Azure infrastructure/subscription?" (i.e. we will be provided access to your Azure subscription to setup and manage as required) At this stage we are undecided whether we will host on LBIs Azure infrastructure/subscription or on a third-party Azure infrastructure/subscription. We would like the successful partner to help us in making this decision. Last Updated: 1 August 2025, 11:09 4. Brief mentions AI in relation to channel shift in the stage 2 brief. Can the intention behind this be explained further? Could you please share a bit more about how you envision the role of artificial intelligence within the site, as mentioned in the Stage 1 questions? For example, are there particular AI-driven features or capabilities you’re interested in exploring to enhance user journeys, search functionality, or navigation? Part of the Resident Experience Programme is to ensure a digital first approach Feedback from our initial discovery work has indicated that residents find information difficult to find on our current site. We currently use Cludo as a search aggregator across our main web platform and other portals and are currently looking to pilot new AI functionality within the product There is a push to use AI across the borough this includes the concept of a digital front door using AI to ensure residents get the same experience and answer to questions be it web or phone As part of the project we are wanting to focus on improving content quality, accessibility and reading age of our web content in the hope that the website can then be used as a key LLM for any AI solution, AI chat. In addition, we are also keen where possible to use AI to facilitate content quality in relation to reading age, tone of voice and ensure content creation standards and accessibility are adhered to. Last Updated: 1 August 2025, 11:07 5. Do you have personas or journey maps currently? Yes, some personas and journey maps have been developed as part of the work relating to parking, council tax and housing repairs and in relation to the recent development of My Islington resident portal Additional personas and journey maps will be required Last Updated: 1 August 2025, 11:05 6. If so, would that insight be shared with the successful agency? Yes, this information will be shared with the successful agency Last Updated: 1 August 2025, 11:03 7. Have you conducted any of your own user research prior to this? We have conducted some user research prior to this As part of our resident experience programme user research and service design work has been conducted in services areas relating to parking, council tax and housing repairs Online resident survey has been carried out in January 2025 as part of our project discovery Analytics and feedback forms from the website and resident hubs and call agents has been collated Our UX designer works closely with our customer service team and regularly conduct sessions with residents in relation to prototypes and user journeys Last Updated: 1 August 2025, 11:02