Stakeholder Relationship Management Tool for the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)

⁠⁠⁠DVA is responsible for delivering a broad range of services, information, and support to currently serving and former members of the Australian Defence Force and families, their advocate organisations and health providers. More information about DVA can be found at dva.gov.au.

We are seeking proposals to address two challenges:

• Managing complex stakeholder relationships across a range of forums, channels and internal business areas.
• Delivering bulk informational messaging to stakeholders via email and managing associated consent, opt-in/out and data analytics.

Additional information on these challenges is provided below.

Managing complex stakeholder relationships

DVA has a variety of stakeholders across different audience types engaging with us in varying ways through different staff and business areas. This means stakeholder interactions with the department are often complex, spanning multiple issues and decision makers. This can cause confusion, mixed messages, lack of clear follow-up and other issues.

The department currently lacks a single system or process for maintaining and recording these complex stakeholder interactions, understanding them through analytics and managing associated follow-up actions. As a result, information about stakeholder engagement is not shared across the department’s various functions. There are also challenges in collating and coordinating stakeholder feedback to inform decision making.

Bulk messaging

The current system we use to inform and promote DVA services and arrangements to external stakeholders is manually intensive. Compliance with consent and opt-in/out mechanisms also requires careful manual management so that relevant privacy and communications legislation is met.

Currently no data analytics or insights are available to inform the success of bulk email campaigns and it is difficult to make informed improvements.

Intent of the RFI

This RFI is seeking proposals for a Stakeholder Relationship Manager tool will address the challenges around:

• Managing complex stakeholder relationships, and
• Streamlining bulk email campaigns including consent, opt-in/out logistics and data analytics.

While we have included some high-level criteria and other information in this RFI to inform responses we welcome other ideas, information or suggestions providers may have to address the challenges outlined. However, these must also meet the technical, security and business restraints listed.

Through this RFI we seek to gather information from prospective suppliers regarding the potential delivery of the requirements specified. Respondents are requested to provide information in the RFI Response Form. The total length of the completed Response Form should not be more than 10 pages and font size 11 should be used.

The Department will consider the response or non-response status of a supplier and the contents of each response when determining next steps around this work. The Department may also choose to approach suppliers for demonstration or other information. This will be at the sole discretion of DVA.

DVA may approach suppliers who respond to the RFI for a demonstration or other information. This will be at the sole discretion of DVA.

This RFI process may lead to the subsequent issue of a Request for Quote (or similar). All decisions around further market approaches, including the suppliers who may be invited to participate in any such approach, will be at DVA's absolute discretion.

Users

Users of the SRM tool would fall into two broad groups:

User Group 1: These users will:

• input information into the tool such as stakeholder details, interests, issues raised, engagement details and respond to action items allocated to them, and
• use the tool to monitor progress of engagements, understand stakeholder relationships, interests and issues and use this to inform decision making.

User Group 2: Will use the tool to manage bulk messaging including inputting contact details, message content and review subsequent data analytics to inform future bulk messaging.

Initially the number of internal users that would access the system would be up to 40 staff. However, we also want to understand the cost and issues of scaling up the number of licences to 200.

User needs

The user needs are listed below:

User Group one:

Improving internal consistency in timing and messaging: Including facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing across internal DVA users on which stakeholders to contact, when to do so and what method would be best.

Helping staff improve stakeholder relationships: This could include having features that reduce failures to follow-up on engagements, prevent over-engaging and promote relevant and timely engagement.

Improving workflow management: This could include monitoring, automated reminders, escalations and other mechanisms to help manage action items more efficiently.

Providing DVA an enhanced, central view of stakeholders: Including recording, tracking, prioritising and follow-up of formal engagements and other interactions.

Identifying critical issues before they escalate: Including recording of issues raised, interests of stakeholders and identification trends and key issues before they escalate.

Enhancing transparency and reporting: Such as being able to produce reporting and analytics on interactions undertaken and how subsequent action items were resolved among other metrics.

Informing decision making: Including data analytics based on stakeholder patterns, issues, sentiment and interests.

User Group two:

Streamlined bulk messaging: including ability to input recipient contact details via an easy-to-use interface and develop messaging content that will resonate with and support stakeholders. Other needs for this group include the ability to:

• run campaigns via an automated/optimised workflow process including send time optimisation
• drag and drop content, personalise emails using dynamic content and create custom templates.

Automation of consent and related logistics: to support adherence to privacy and other legislation in a way that is streamlined and effective when sending bulk messages.

Supporting continuous improvement of messaging: Including data analytics about bulk messaging campaigns such as read messages, when they were read, bounce-backs and other metrics.

Technical constraints include:

• The SRM tool must be a stand-alone product not requiring integration into other systems
• The product should be cloud based and allow for access via a web portal or similar approach.
• Can be accessed via a range of desktop, laptop and mobile devices via authentication of individual users
• Is an existing COTS product.
• The product complies or is capable of complying with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework and Information Security Manual (ISM).

Your response must:

articulate how the capabilities we outline in the criteria is met by your proposed solution, and

use the attached response form.