Wordpress
What we will cover
Use of WordPress in UK Government
The Government Digital Service (GDS) uses WordPress for government blogs, with new blogs approved by the GOV.UK lead and GDS Communications. Blog owners are responsible for regular updates, content quality, accessibility, and performance evaluation. Departmental teams provide support and maintain content quality. GDS manages requests, platform maintenance, and offers guidance and tools.
However, it is not uncommon for external agencies to host, maintain and offer updates to UK Government WordPress installations under the G-Cloud framework. Vu Online offers this service but the route to procurement is not always clear for commissioners.
How does a government buyer actually find the right people to look after their WordPress on G-Cloud?
Understanding Search Strategies on G-Cloud
Search strategies are tailored combinations of keywords, phrases, and filters specifically designed to assist public sector Buyers within the UK Government in discovering WordPress support services through the G-Cloud 13 framework.
Buyer Responsibilities
Under G-Cloud 13 (Lots 1-3), the process of adhering to these search strategies is recognised as a ‘Direct Award’ for procurement. To successfully engage with G-Cloud, Buyers must begin with a clear understanding of their unique requirements. This involves conducting thorough market research and involving Suppliers in pre-market consultations to gain insights into their needs and the solutions available. This preliminary research is pivotal in formulating potential search terms that align with the Buyer’s specific needs.
Buyers will subsequently employ these search terms and keywords to conduct searches on the Contract Award Service. This process culminates in the creation of an extensive list of pertinent offerings, and Buyers should ensure that potential suppliers are not inadvertently excluded by experimenting with different terminology that might describe similar solutions.
The next phase entails narrowing down the long list to a manageable shortlist for evaluation. Buyers can achieve this by applying filters that are pertinent to their specific requirements, including factors such as security standards, metrics availability, or support channels.
Crucially, all search terms and filters used should be justifiable, and Buyers are required to maintain a documented and traceable record of their procurement process.
Once a shortlist is compiled, the Buyer can evaluate the solution details available, either by applying weighted criteria of their choice or by selecting the lowest-priced option if services are directly comparable. During this evaluation phase, the Buyer can seek clarification from the Supplier regarding their offering, though significant alterations to the offering are not permitted.
Ultimately, the Buyer’s final selection should be based on the solution that best aligns with their specific requirements. This guidance is provided directly by the Crown Commercial Service.
The G-Cloud Search Process
While the G-Cloud service catalogue is publicly accessible on the Digital Marketplace. However, for procurement purposes, Buyers must utilise the Contract Award Service. The search functionality remains consistent between the two platforms.
The Contract Award Service employs Boolean search, enabling Buyers to refine their requirements by enclosing key phrases within quotation marks and using plus and minus signs to refine results. For example, a search for “WordPress hosting” + “CMS development” within quotation marks yields a single result, which is Vu Online’s listing. In contrast, searching for digital procurement consultancy without quotation marks produces 5 results.
Buyers can further enhance their search results by applying filters, which differ based on the specific Lot being searched (Hosting, Software, or Support). Each filter category includes a drop-down menu with various options. By selecting filters that match their needs, Buyers can streamline their search results to a more manageable number.
Some Buyers may require guidance on effectively utilising G-Cloud search for procurement as part of the sales process.
Search Queries for Vu Online
We’ve commissioned sample searches on G-Cloud to discover services similar to those offered by Vu Online. These search strategies are intended to provide an overview of the G-Cloud 13 market and showcase relevant search results, specifically tailored to assist prospective Buyers of Vu Online in understanding how G-Cloud operates and the range of services available. Nonetheless, all Buyers should adhere to the procurement process outlined by the Crown Commercial Service to ensure that their procurement is compliant, equitable, and transparent.
Different search strategies, especially those employing diverse filters, may be more suitable for various Buyers based on their industry and specific requirements.
Vu Online’s Search Strategies for G-Cloud 13 WordPress services
Service Name
WordPress hosting, maintenance, support, and updates (Lot 1)
“WordPress hosting”+”CMS development”
Lot 1: Cloud Hosting 1 result
Lot 1: Cloud Hosting 1 result
“Proactive Monitoring”+”Implementation plan”
Lot 1: Cloud Hosting 1 result
“daily back-ups”+”backlog management”
Lot 1: Cloud Hosting 1 result
“24/7 Monitoring”+”UK based WordPress team”
Lot 1: Cloud Hosting 1 result
Help for government buyers of WordPress services
We trust that this introductory guide to creating a shortlist of WordPress service providers will prove valuable as you embark on your next purchasing journey on G-Cloud. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any enquiries or seek further information.
For a copy of Vu’s Pricing and Service Definition for WordPress visit us at G-Cloud, or get in touch.
Happy commissioning and thanks to our partners at Advice Cloud for their research and help.
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