By Meg Shallcrass |
January 17, 2025
And how we respond to questions in ITTs
Meg Shallcrass, Consultant and Records Management expert here at Metataxis, shares the top 6 questions in ITTs we typically receive from prospective customers and crucially, how we respond:
When applying for contract work, it’s common to encounter a series of questions in Invitations to Tender (ITTs) or similar documents, and I’ve seen certain queries appear time and time again. Below, I will walk you through the most frequently asked questions and provide examples of how we, here at Metataxis, might respond to them.
Qu 1: What are your qualifications and experience in Information Management?
Why it’s asked:
Organisations want to ensure that the consultants they engage have the necessary skills and a proven track record.
A typical Metataxis response:
We always select a team with the right level of knowledge and experience to meet our client’s individual needs.
All Metataxis, our consultants have previously held operational roles and therefore have first-hand experience of creating knowledge and information management strategies and implementation plans. We are certain that this practical experience, along with our extensive professional skills, expertise and knowledge can efficiently meet the organisation’s requirements.
Metataxis believes that an information architecture which supports user requirements and behaviours, and which is appropriate for the specific content, is the key to any successful information-based project. We have worked with clients introducing or adapting structures, semantics, processes and systems for information management, collaboration, findability and re-use. We therefore have a wealth of knowledge and experience in designing information inventories and architectures which deliver the required artefacts and processes within the constraints of technology.
Qu 2: Can you provide examples of similar projects you have completed?
Why it’s asked:
This question probes our practical experience in similar environments.
A typical Metataxis response:
With over 20 years in existence, Metataxis consultants have worked on an enormous variety of projects. We go on to share relevant case studies and always provide contact details of relevant clients who can share their own experience of working with us.
Qu 3: What is your approach to project management and methodology?
Why it’s asked:
Clients want assurance that the project will be managed professionally and will meet their objectives.
A typical Metataxis response:
Underpinning all Metataxis’ work is a highly collaborative but rigorous approach. We work closely with our clients to ensure that outputs are delivered in a useful, user-friendly format and that our findings and conclusions deliver value. With that in mind all our projects include the following:
- A project initiation meeting to discuss the project plan in more detail, agree client expectations for quality, process and deliverables at the outset and set out the project’s success criteria based on these. This meeting also helps establish communication channels.
- Regular updates on progress (the frequency could be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly depending on preference).
- Ongoing dialogue on our findings, to help ensure there are no surprises.
- At all times our consultants will work in an open and transparent way, sharing information gathered – in particular, any surprises or requirements that are different from those agreed with the project team.
- We shall constructively listen and act on any feedback provided by Digital H&D and its users.
- Regular review meetings (frequency to be agreed). These offer the opportunity to check for any issues in a planned, independent, controlled and documented manner and allow the team to address these issues based on the relevant prioritisation. These reviews should refer to the brief and to the project’s success criteria.
Internally, Metataxis has a rigorous process of quality checks in place to ensure that at all times we are meeting the requirements of the brief and the proposal we have put forward.
Qu 4: What tools and technologies do you use for information architecture and records management?
Why it’s asked:
Organisations want to know whether you’re familiar with the tools they use or plan to implement.
A typical Metataxis response:
Metataxis is totally independent and technology neutral, with deep experience of a wide range of software platforms and tools. Our consultants have a wide range of experience with different systems and tools, such as iManage, Confluence, and more. We are seeing more and more organisations utilising the Microsoft 365 suite of tools, including SharePoint, Teams, Copilot and Dynamics. We have extensive Microsoft 365 configuration, Security and Compliance Centre (Purview), and SharePoint experience, having worked on over 60 SharePoint projects, ranging in duration from several days to several years. We have worked with SharePoint in all its versions from 2003 through to SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365).
Qu 5: Can you provide a detailed project plan and timeline?
Why it’s asked:
Organisations need to understand the scope, milestones, and timelines to manage their expectations.
A typical Metataxis response:
Every piece of work is different, with unique requirements and restrictions. We develop a custom timeline for each project, based on the scope, resources available, and business requirements. We will break down activities to demonstrate how much time and resource will be required for each part of the project. We tend to work collaboratively with clients, and understand that a successful project needs buy in and ownership from the organisation, we will also specify what time and resource is required form the organisation themselves, which might involve attending workshops and interviews, reviewing and approving documentation, or providing system metrics when required.
Though all projects are different, a typical transformation project could include the following key phases of work:
- Discovery – defining the scope, identifying pain points, this is where we learn all about the current “as is” information landscape. We will gather quantitative and qualitative data, through a combination of desk research, workshops and interviews
- Design – once we have all the information we need, we can begin to work on the deliverables required – examples of these might be an Information Governance Framework, an Information Management Strategy, or a full Information Architecture and taxonomy
- Implementation – the actual build and implementation of the new design. This could include system configuration, creation of artefacts like templates and taxonomies, data migration and others
- Testing and validation – user testing, validation of newly implemented artefacts, and validation and approval of any remaining decisions
- Training and change management – effective change management strategies will be deployed throughout the project, and this is the time for user and administrator training, and confirming all users are confident and competent using the new system or technology
- Go-live – when everything is in place, the organisation can launch the new way of working
- Ongoing support – extended support is available if required
Qu 6: What are your costs and payment terms?
Why it’s asked:
Understanding costs upfront helps organisations budget effectively and assess the value of our services.
A typical Metataxis response:
Budget is generally one of the most important elements of a project, and Metataxis has a flexible approach to cost management that can suit all client needs. Some clients already have a fixed budget in mind and need to understand what work can be done for that amount; others have certain deliverables they require and want to know how much resource will be required to meet those goals. We typically charge based on a standard day rate, but this can be flexible depending on the length of the piece of work. We also offer a discounted rate for charities and non-profit organisations. Every proposal will include a transparent cost breakdown detailing all activities and related costs. We typically charge monthly for work completed on a time and materials basis, but for fixed cost and time-boxed projects we may charge at project completion.